It's Only Time
by Aaeth
Summary: Dean/Castiel SLASH! Dean and Cas on the most important missing persons case of all. Where in the world is God? Mentions events up to "The End".
1. Chapter 1

Title: It's Only Time  
Author: Aaeth Payne  
Rating: PG-13 for now  
Genre and/or Pairing: Dean/Castiel  
Spoilers: Up to 5.04  
Warnings: m/m, Language  
Summary: Dean and Cas on the most important mission persons case of all. Where in the world is God?

A/N: I've gone outside my usual pantheons with this story, so apologies if I've messed it up. I did my best with my research, but I'm no theologian. Title comes from a Magnetic Fields song.

"Hello Dean." Castiel's voice interrupted the near perfect quiet of the night.

Once, Dean may have sworn, flailed, or even swerved the Impala in reaction to the sudden appearance. Now, it seemed he had almost a sixth sense for when the angel would be popping in. Hell, that was why he wasn't currently blasting AC/DC. He glanced over to his sudden copilot, "Hello Cas. Burger?"

"Dean," For a being that supposedly didn't have much in the emotions department, Cas could certainly sound exasperated. "I do not require sustenance. I will not… mooch from you when it is unnecessary."

It seemed his angel had picked up some new vocabulary recently. "Cas, it isn't mooching when I got it specifically for you without your request." Dean smoothly pulled into the parking lot of the low end motel that he and Sam were currently holed up in. "It's what you call a gift. Now, come on, I'm starving." Dean got out and looked back at the car where Cas still sat, his face scrunched up in a way that Dean was too manly to call 'adorable' but probably fit the definition. He leaned down to peek into the window, "Seriously, you can get your angel pout on later, but now Sammy and I need food and you need to tell us something."

Cas continued his weird staring pout a moment longer before he also left the car. The angel led the way to the hotel room, making Dean sprint to catch up. It would just be safer for him to open the door. No reason for Castiel to end up with a shotgun in his face if Sammy didn't recognize him instantly.

"Sammy! You'd better be decent, we've got company." Not that he actually waited for a reply before throwing open the door. If Sammy were about to be caught choking the chicken by his big brother and the resident angel, it would just be comedy gold. Something to put in the Christmas letter this year. Reason to start a Christmas letter.

Sam was in the process of jumping off the bed like a scalded cat, but the tell-tale hum was enough evidence to convict him. "Magic Fingers? Oh Sam, you dirty bird." Dean shook his head. After all the shit Sam gave Dean over his Magic Fingers addiction, finding his little brother in this position was sweet. "Me thought the bitch doth protest too much." Dean tossed one of the burgers at Sam's face before his brother could make up his mind whether to be embarrassed about being caught, or get pissy over the mangled Shakespeare.

"Eat up. I think Cas has news." Dean pulled out the desk chair for the angel and pushed the third burger into unresisting hands.

Dean watched Castiel stand awkwardly for a while longer- until he and Sam had settled and both started their dinners. The angel perched on the edge of his chair, and Dean was tempted to comment that he had thought Cas wasn't the perching type. But he refrained.

"I have not been able to locate God."

Oh. Dean put his unfinished burger down. He'd been waiting for this moment, but he'd hoped to be wrong. He'd never had faith in the big guy, but Cas did. Castiel wanted to find his father more than anything.

"Castiel, I'm sorry." Sam was the one to respond, sincerity beams on high. Dean was still floundering.

Castiel looked over to Sam and nodded almost imperceptible. "I had… hoped that with Dean's amulet I could track Him. Find some sort of trail. Even a hint." Castiel looked back to Dean, "But there was nothing."

This was not good. Not by any stretch. Dean frowned at Cas's downcast expression. His angel was looking too lost, too hopeless. Too much like a strung-out hippy. Not his Cas.

"I think it is time I focused on other endeavors."

When the angel pulled the amulet out from under his shirt and began pulling it over his head, Dean snapped. This had gone too far already. "No!" He caught Cas's hands and brought them away from the necklace One hand still holding Cas's, he tucked the amulet back under the white collared shirt. "You're not taking this off any time soon. I'm not taking it back until you find Him."

He caught Cas's gaze and wouldn't let go. Not while his angel looked so defeated. One heartbeat. Two. Finally, the hands that had been motionless under his turned and returned the grip. Dean hadn't even realized heed been holding his breath, but it came out in a whoosh. His Cas was back. His bad ass mother fucker. Not the other Dean's Cas. Never him.

"Maybe what you need," Sam's voice interrupted Dean's thought process, "is a new strategy."

Dean squeezed Cas's hand before letting go and sitting back, "What are you suggesting, Sammy? Take Australia and build build build?"

Sam ignored the snark and went on, "Is there anyone, anyone you could get more information from? If God is missing, when did He go missing? From where? Who was the last one to really communicate with Him?" They would be good questions for a regular hunt.

"Who is he going to ask?" Dean shook his head; this just wasn't a regular missing person's case! "God's barber? I mean, this is freakin' God. It isn't like we can read His diary." He shot a look to Castiel, "He didn't have a diary, did He?"

The angel blinked, "Not to my knowledge, no."

He hated to say it like this, but really, who would be playing Dear Abby to God? "To top it off, the people who might know something about something are just a bunch of dicks with their phasers set to smite!"

Rather than the reaction Dean had feared (more lost hope and kicked puppy looks) Cas tensed, eyes going wide. It was more than enough to derail Dean's usual angel, present company excluded, rant. He spared a glance for Sam, who'd also noticed the angel's mood shift. "Ok, Cas," Dean paused, "what's got your wheels spinning?"

There was something in his face. Some intensity that was new. Castiel was on to something, and Dean was unsure if he should be excited or terrified. "The human body is made of fat, water, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Angels are made of spiritual energy. Absolutely no wheels." As usual, the response was completely deadpan.

Dean felt his shoulders relax. With such a typical Cas answer nothing too bad could be coming. Right? "So, what did you think of?"

Castiel seemed to straighten his already perfect posture, "There is one we might speak with. She may have some information.

Well, shit, that was unexpected. Perhaps God had a barber after all. "Well, how do we get in touch? The Yellow Pages?"

"Dean I do not believe the simurgh is listed."

"The simurgh?"

"The simurgh!"

Dean and Sam looked at each other, Dean confused as all hell and Sammy looking excited as all hell.

"Ok, I'll bite, who is going to fill me in on who this simurgh chick is?" He looked from Cas to Sammy and back again.

"She is not a chick. As a being as old as God, I believe she would be considered a bird. Sort of." Castiel paused, "Bird/dog/woman." He clarified, only not at all.

Already pulling out their father's journal Sammy was hurriedly flipping through pages to look for references. "Dean, the simurgh is a giant birdlike creature found in Persian myth. Sometimes described as being part bird and part dog, sometimes it is described as having a human's head- sometimes a dog's head. But it is always depicted as female and is," Sam grinned as he found the correct page, "inherently benevolent."

"Inherently benevolent is good." Dean leaned closer to see some of the illustrations. Not a looker though.

Sam skimmed the passage picking out the more pertinent bits, "It says that the simurgh is so old it has seen the destruction of the world three times over. That she has gained so much knowledge over this time she possesses the knowledge of all the Ages." Sam looked up and gave Dean an expectant look.

"So, she's kind of a big deal, huh?"

With a noise that was almost a huff, Castiel continued, "So far as I know, none of the Host could touch her. Her power greatly exceeds even an archangel's."

He felt like he was catching on, "And if God were going to leave a forwarding address-"He trailed off, "or even if he didn't, she could probably help."

Cas nodded solemnly, "It comes with having all the knowledge in the world."

Sam was still going through the journal when Dean looked over. So far no concerns had been brought up; maybe this simurgh was the real deal. "Well," Dean reclined on the bed, fingers linked behind his head, "remind me not to challenge her in Trivial Pursuit."

Castiel stood, brushing non-existent wrinkles from his clothes. "Let us go." If it were anyone else, Dean could imagine them bouncing in place. But Cas seemed to give off a nervous excited energy without actually shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"What? Now?" Dean blinked. Well, wasn't Cas an eager beaver?

"It is the End of Days Dean. Time is of the essence."

If it weren't for the fact that Dean was looking directly at Cas as the angel said it, he would have sworn there was an eye roll accompanying the statement.

"Castiel," Sam began, "Dean and I are on our way to Bobby's. He wants our help going through some books." Which actually translated to this was a vacation of sorts for them. A few days to relax with Sam's face in a book and Dean under the hood of a car.

"Oh." And Castiel knew how important these stolen days were.

Awww man, Dean just hated to see an angel pout. "Well, Sammy, Bobby's place is just a day away. Think you can get the Impala there in one piece by yourself?" In an instant he was the center of attention. Still going for casual, Dean shrugged, "By one piece I mean in pristine condition and with a full tank?" He frowned, "And no douching her up, either. That means no CD players and certainly no iPod jacks."

Sam got that 'I'm sorry, but you were DEAD look' he had whenever Dean brought up the iPod jack. "Dean I-"

"You would come with me?" It wasn't so much that Cas interrupted Sam, but that they began at the same time and only Cas kept going. He also had that puppy look going. Dean wondered when and where the angel had picked that up, or if it just came naturally.

"Yeah, sure." Dean sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Sam and Bobby are the research aces. Besides," Dean grinned, "if the old bird knows something about where your father has gone off to, it might be more useful than whatever they can find."

Sam looked like he wanted to argue, but he kept his mouth shut. Maybe it was because Dean was right about the importance of finding God thing, maybe because he and Bobby would really get more work done without Dean outside blasting Zeppelin, maybe because he wanted an excuse to drive the Impala alone again.

Or maybe it was because Cas actually breathed an audible sigh of relief and smiled. Dean himself was nearly floored- and he'd spent much more time around the resident angel. Long enough to see confusion, panic, bad assery… hell, He'd even seen future Cas. Sam has missed those other moments, so it was probably the emoting angel that shut him up.

"Let me just finish my food, get a nap, and I'm good to go." Dean reclaimed his now cold burger and took a huge bite. "Go where, by the way?" He mumbled though a mouthful of food.

"Alborz. A mountain range in northern Iran."

"Wait a minute." Dean made the gesture for Time Out. "Iran? As in IRAN Iran?" An Iran too far to drive to… "Oh no- that means flying." Dean shook his head.

Smirking, Sam looked from Dean to Castiel, "Dean hates flying." Sam didn't sound too down on the idea anymore. He sounded rather gleeful, in fact.

"Shut your pie hole." Dean was feeling less keen on this action/adventure trip. Going to see some great benevolent Goddess thing seemed like a good idea up until it meant he had to get his ass on an airplane.

Castiel sat back on the chair, hands on his knees, "I could zap us both there instantly."

Dean ignored how weird it was to hear Cas refer to the teleport thingy as 'zap' and made sure to move out of the angel's immediate reach. "Oh no-"

Raising his hands in the 'I'm harmless, don't shoot me' pose that Dean didn't trust for a minute, Cas continued. "It would be different from last time Dean. Now that I know to compensate for human biology, you can be assured your bowel movements would remain regular." The angel looked so contrite Dean almost had to laugh. But then again, it had not been a fun week.

There was a choked laugh to his right, but by the time Dean transferred his glare, Sam had already changed his expression back to casual interest. He'd never hear the end of that one. Somehow he felt ganged up on. Castiel: army of one.

But talking about Cas's mojo did remind Dean of something that had bothered him. "Hey, Cas, isn't that stuff you carved on our insides supposed to keep us off the demon and angel radar?"

"That is correct." Cas's eyes narrowed, "Why are you asking this now Dean?"

"Well, It doesn't seem to be working- at least not with you." Dean rushed on, "You just popped into the car a little while ago, and led the way to the hotel door. Hell, you snatched me away from Zachariah a few weeks ago. Didn't you get a cell phone because you couldn't do that anymore?"

Looking down like he was lost in thought or concentration, Cas slowly responded. "You are right. I should not have been able to do that. The symbols were correct- they should work." Castiel looked back up, "But I can sense you."

"What about me?" Sam questioned from the other side of the room.

Castiel slowly turned his attention to Sam, "No. I cannot sense you." He tilted his head, "I could find this room because Dean had left a trace of himself here. Like a fingerprint."

"Great, I'm leaving bits of myself like breadcrumbs. The question is, can other angels follow the trail, or is it just Cas?" This was not good. He'd hoped for a simple explanation like Cas had simply been watching him the whole time. A peeping angel was less worrisome than this.

"I do not know." Cas watched Sam, "But if you have not been accosted by either side, it may just be an anomaly because of the connection between Dean and myself. The Enochian sigils should be unassailable."

"Connection?" Sam's voice was a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"I was the one who pulled him from the Pit." Dean knew without looking just when Cas's eyes landed back on him. He looked up and sure enough, Cas was looking at him like the angel could see inside his very soul. What was he thinking- the guy probably could.

"Kicking and fighting me the whole way." Cas finished as he always did.

"You'll never let me forget that, will you, Cas?" His attempt at humor falling flat, Dean reached for his food. "Can I at least finish my burger?"

Cas sat, and Dean relaxed and took another bite. He tried not to fidget as Cas watched him chew. And chew. And chew. Finally, Dean realized that the angel was just going to stare at him the whole time he ate. Reluctantly, he admitted defeat. Covering the cold and almost completely unappetizing burger in its paper wrapping, Dean shrugged. "I guess I can eat it on the way."

"But there is no 'on the way'" Cas protested, "We will be on the mountain in an instant." He didn't let the argument stop him from standing up and getting in Dean's personal space, prepared to teleport them to Iran.

Dean gave Sam, who was looking far too amused, a shrug. "Oh I know." He hugged the remains of his meal to his chest and waited for the odd moving without motion feeling of being zapped by an angel. He was sure he heard Sam snigger just before they arrived on Alborz.

**************

Feedback would be awesome!


	2. Chapter 2

There was no instant clenching in his gut, so Dean had hope that it really would be different than last time.

The first thing he noticed, other than his lack of intestinal discomfort, was that the mountain was covered in snow. With icy winds whipping around them, It took only a moment for Dean's clothing to be not nearly e-freaking-nough to keep him warm. "Shit!" He wrapped his arms around himself, looking around desperately for the nonexistent cover.

"My apologies." Castiel placed a hand on Dean's shoulder, right over where the mark would be.

Dean sighed in relief as his body was flooded with heat, his jaw and muscles slowly relaxed from their sudden clench. Slowly, Dean surveyed the area. The view was fantastic; he could see they were above the clouds. For a moment, he wondered if this was what the view would be like from heaven. Pretty though it was, there was absolutely nothing around them. Certainly there was no mythical dog/bird.

"Now what do we do?"

"I am not certain. In the legends, the simurgh came in response to the orphan Zal's cries."

Dean looked over his shoulder to see Cas giving him a significant look. "Surely you can't be serious. Tell me you are kidding Cas." No way was he making like an infant. His tears were precious and few and shed in private. Mostly.

The angel appeared unmoved. "You technically fit the requirement." He paused. "… and don't call me Shirley."

Dean buried his face in his hands. Someone, and he suspected it was Sam, had been corrupting his angel under his very nose! Now Dean did feel like crying.

"Don't worry about that Castiel- Cas. Dean. I do hate to see grown men cry." Her voice was warm and rich. It was comforting in a way that he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. The alternate world the djin sent him to didn't count- underneath he'd known it was wrong. Dean looked over and saw her. Mother. The essence of every mother in the world.

He'd thought that to meet a being on scale with power and age as God would be terrifying at least. To judge by the yardstick of angels, it seems like he should be keeling over in fright. But there was nothing threatening about her at all. (Which should have been terrifying all on its own.)

Warm, the perfect size and shape to envelop you in a tight hug. Her face was worn with satisfaction and happiness but still timeless. She could have been any age from her twenties to her fifties, Dean couldn't pinpoint it. She smelled like baked cookies and dish soap. He almost didn't notice the weight of the small bird when it landed on his shoulder.

"Woah." There was nothing else to say. This was a goddess. And not the twisted 'have you for Christmas dinner' type he and Sammy fought. This was a Goddess wholly in her element. And so close. Dean brushed the small bird off of his shoulder, but gave up when it only landed on his head. All he wanted was to be held in her arms. All he wanted was to be told it would be ok.

"Dean." Cas's gruff voice shocked him to awareness. He realized he'd actually been moving closer to the Goddess- out of Cas's protective heat bubble. But it seemed the simurgh had taken care of that.

"Have a seat, boys." She gestured to the dining table set that they now stood in front of. They were in the center of a large, well used kitchen in some house that hadn't been there a moment ago. "Though I think I know why you are here, why don't you tell me?" She didn't sit herself, but turned to the counter, hands busily doing something Dean couldn't see.

Not knowing what else to do, Dean slid onto one of the chairs. Even though he was a fully grown man, and not below average height- no matter how it looked when compared to his sasquatch brother, his feet still didn't touch the floor. He swung his leg, toes barely brushing the tile.

Glancing over, Dean saw Castiel's confused expression and realized the angel was having a similar experience. Though it all seemed completely harmless, Cas also seemed completely wigged out. It looked like it was up to him. "We're just trying to find God, Ma'am."

"Hmm." She came back to the table, two plates in her hands. On top of each plate was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich sliced diagonally cut, crusts removed.

Before he could say anything two tall glasses of milk were placed next to the plates and the simurgh sat across from them, chin resting on in her hand.

The kitchen was very quiet, and soon Dean realized he could hear Cas's quick breathing. When he glanced over he saw his friend looking just as panicked as he'd been when surrounded by boobies in the brothel. All it took was a P&J sandwich and milk.

"Now Dean," She looked between them, a small smile on her face. "Cas is here to find God. You and I both know you don't believe in God."

Taking a long drink of milk, Dean washed down is first bite of sandwich. He had the feeling table manners mattered here, and he wasn't about to talk with his mouth full. No way he wanted to test if she's wash his mouth out with soap or whatever the punishment for that sort of thing was. By her sudden amused expression, Dean got the feeling she knew just how he felt.

From the corner of his eye, Dean could see Cas looking a bit like a kicked puppy. Again with the puppy face. "No, I'm not convinced there is a God. Too much evil in the world, bad things happening to good people, boy bands…" He could go one and on. "But Cas here believes in the big guy. He wants to find his Father." Dean shrugged. "And it wouldn't hurt to have a heavy hitter on our side for once." End of argument.

"Oh Dean," The simurgh took a sip from a cup that hadn't been there a blink ago. "You are a sweetheart."

That was not the response he'd expected. Not a response he'd ever gotten before, really. Dean exchanged confused looks with Cas and shrugged.

"You're willing to come all this way on what you consider a wild goose chase just so Cas didn't have to come by himself!" The goddess looked pleased. "Eat your sandwiches."

Not quite sure of how to respond, Dean again took a bite. Best damn P&J ever. He subtly elbowed the angel to his right and gave him a significant look.

Judging by the chuckle from across the table, he was not that subtle. But it did the trick and Castiel slowly picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Dean found himself watching fascinated as the angel chewed his first bite of the sandwich. And chewed and chewed and chewed.

"Dude, just swallow."

Castiel turned to Dean, his throat working, but his eyes going wide.

"Take a drink." Dean handed Cas his glass of milk, forgetting for a moment the angel had his own.

Two big gulps later (Castiel seemed to drink milk as quickly as he drank beer) the angel heaved a deep sigh and handed the half empty glass to Dean.

Curious, Dean searched Cas's face for some indication of how the angel liked his first experience with peanut butter, one of humanity's most beloved foods. "How was it?"

It took only a moment for Castiel to quantify the experience, "Sticky." He again picked up the sandwich. "But not unpleasant."

Dean chuckled and resumed eating his own sandwich. He looked up after a few bites and realized the simurgh was just watching them, like they were animals at a zoo.

He frowned, wondering the best way to tell off a Goddess, when he noticed her expression was not just one of fascination, but genuine interest and concern, it was more like he and Cas were characters in her favorite Soap Opera.

Slightly mollified, Dean went back to his sandwich. Cas was almost finished with his own, and if Dean didn't get there first he'd be out another meal. Good food sacrificed on the alter of business and the apocalypse. Terrible times.

It was then he felt a small thump on his head. The bird from before was back, and now that it moved from Dean's head to his shoulder he could see it looked particularly hopeful.

"He won't leave you alone until you feed him. Of course, once you feed him he won't leave you alone. You'll have a friend for life." She chuckled, "Quite a Catch-22. If you do feed him, avoid the peanut butter. He loves it, but he's getting a little heavy."

The small bird fluffed up its feathers and produced a chirp that sounded particularly affronted. Dean offered a piece of bread and took another bite for himself. The next time the simurgh took a sip form her cup, however, Dean snuck the little bird a piece of bread with peanut butter.

"Dean." Busted. Cas sounded more disapproving than usual.

The goddess just laughed. "He can't help it. He's just a soft touch for things with feathers and pouts."

Dean did his best to ignore whatever she was trying to intimate, thankful that Castiel would be unlikely to see any double meaning in that. Stupid all knowing goddesses. Dean tucked into the sandwich and it wasn't long before it was gone along with the milk. Damn that had been good. Dean looked over and it seemed he'd only just beaten Cas.

"I'll take those, boys." The simurgh took the plates and then the glasses and put them into the sink. Finally she turned back, her lips pressed together tightly. For the first time, she looked troubled and it did nothing for Dean's peace of mind.

"So now I'm going to give you good news and bad news. Which do you want first?" It was the universal question. Get the shit out of the way first and then enjoy the light at the end of the tunnel, or see the good first only to have it shit upon. The simurgh sat down again, her face once again patient and calm. Of course, none of this really affected her, did it? As God's freakin' pal she could just bug out if it really got too bad.

It was coming slowly, the whole earth mother thing had thrown him off, but Dean's usual distrust of authority figures was beginning to reassert itself. He felt his hands clench. She obviously knew what was up, and while God seemed to be MIA, what was her excuse? Dean squared his shoulders. He figured it best not to slouch when you prepare to chew out something divine.

"Well, you can start by-" He didn't even get to finish his wind up.

"Explaining my own lack of action in the heaven versus hell smack down currently threatening Earth and everything and everyone you love?" Her lips twitched. "Excuse me, you would have left the last bit off as too 'chick flick'. But it would have been implied."

Damn. She was right.

"I know I am." If she was offended, it didn't show. "Dean," She paused with a sigh, actually looking away from him. "I don't blame you for your resentment." She played a bit with the cup in her hand. "God… well, he can be a real dick."

He couldn't completely muffle his bark of laughter. The situation was made sweeter by Cas dropping his milk.

In an instant the glass was back on the table, milk cleaned up as if the spill had never happened. "I'm sorry, Cas, but it is the truth. God was a real prick way back when all this was set in motion. He was all about the absolutes and smiting and purging and damning. And I'm afraid," She met Dean's gaze again. "Your fate may have been sealed way back then."

What do you say to that? What can you say to that? His whole fucked up existence determined before he was even a glimmer in his grandfather's eye? "Isn't that a kick in the pants?"

"Just a bit." She cocked her head in away that reminded him a bit of Cas. "On the bright side, He got better."

"Whoop de freakin' doo!" This was not information he needed. Nothing in life pissed Dean off more than the possibility that his life was driven by more than his own bad decisions.

"Dean, please." Finally Cas said something. It wasn't much, but it was something. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and looked over at the angel. Castiel was looking about as happy as Dean felt and that was saying something. They just needed to get this over with.

"Ok, lay it on us. The big guy was a major dick. Got this ball rolling. Then what?" Better to rip the bandage off all at once.

"Like I said, He got better. Stopped seeing things as so absolute. Tried a reboot and started preaching the peace, love, happiness, turn the other cheek stuff."

Dean could hear it coming. "But?"

The simurgh nodded, "But it was too late. Some things can't be undone. Even by God. Which, you'd think impossible, but the whole omnipotent/omniscient thing doesn't actually coexist very well. Anyway, it was a whole 'the dye is cast' situation, you know?"

No, Dean did not know, but Cas was nodding along, even if he didn't look too happy with what was being said.

"So, He figured out where things went wrong and now He's gone to fix it." She looked between the two of them with a sympathetic smile. "There it is. God has left the building, but He isn't gone. Just… busy."

"Well that's fantastic!" Dean shook his head. "He's too busy to give a crap about the shitstorm on earth?" The sandwich and milk turned to lead in his stomach. He was going to be sick in a goddess's kitchen.

"Peace Dean." Her voice crashed over him. It felt like standing too close to the speakers at a concert. It was all… tingly. "He knows. He cares!" For the first time, she really looked frustrated, tired. "He told me the plan. I thought it was crazy. Still do. But He did it."

"What did He do?" Cas leaned forward looking so earnest it was almost painful. "Please, we need to know."

The simurgh's expression softened. "I know you do. You feel so lost. So much is changing, and your asshole siblings aren't making things easier." She clasped her hands together and pressed them to her mouth, looking at Castiel silently. Finally she nodded, making a decision. "He asked me not to tell, but forget that." She smiled. "Dean Winchester, inspiration to break all the rules, right Cas?"

Looking between the two Dean felt a little bit left out for the moment, but maybe that was best. He needed to cool down and Cas needed to hear this. Probably.

Castiel didn't reply, but tilted his head just so. It was clearly agreement. Dean wasn't really sure how he felt about that.

"First, I guess, Cas you are just fine. Nothing you are going through now is forbidden, or whatever they told you."

Forbidden, now that sounded interesting. And ominous. Dean filed that away for later.

She went on. "You are not falling, and provided all goes to his plan, you will not burn. You've been cut of from heaven by the archangels, not God. Don't doubt yourself. You have faith in God; have faith that you are following his will."

Castiel seemed to sag, and Dean realized it was his angel relaxing. All this time he'd been sitting ramrod straight, but now he looked as if a great burden was off his shoulders. Dean kind of felt like a shit for not noticing it sooner.

"I can't tell you much more than that; I don't know exactly what his plans for you are, but do know that you were certainly remade by the creator himself. I'd know if it were otherwise." She paused and let that sink in a moment. "Jimmy is at peace. Continue on your current path, exercise that free will you're developing. You're doing pretty well."

Cas glanced over at Dean a moment, a miniscule smile on his face. "I've had a good teacher." Dean smiled back, it was funny if the angel though him to be anything but a bad influence.

A small laugh made them both look back at the simurgh. "Well, aren't you two cute as a basket full of puppies?"

Dean cleared his throat. Yeah that had probably been a bit weird. Back to business. "So, Cas is good. Which I knew all along, by the way. Only righteous guy among a bunch of dicks! Of course God likes him…"

"Your question, Dean?" The simurgh was smiling again in that odd way. Like she knew just how long Dean could go on. Then again, she probably did know.

"Right. So the bad news about the big man is…?" It was time for the other shoe to drop, and all warm and fuzzies aside, Dean was getting nervous.

"You aren't going to find Him." She stated simply and to Dean it felt like all the air had been sucked from the room.

"Wait? What? But-" It was what he'd feared, but hearing it from, well, an authority still sucked.

The kitchen was gone. Now they stood in the middle of some pet store. The area around them enclosed, and filled with doggy toys and other doggy equipment of all kinds. And puppies. Lots and lots of puppies. Far more than a basket full.

Castiel was already holding a small yellow Labrador, both looking at each other with equally confused expressions. The simurgh scooped up what looked like a Rottweiler puppy and deposited it in Dean's arms. "I know you've never had one, but you've always wanted a dog, right?"

Dean carefully held the small animal to his chest, scratching behind its ears. "Yeah…" He could see Cas carefully copying his actions with the Lab puppy in his own arms. Both angel and dog looking a little more comfortable with the situation as time went on. And looking adorable. Dean wondered if he'd have the chance to snap a few pictures before this portion of the trip was over. For blackmail material, of course.

"Well, you know how to keep a puppy alive- food, water, shelter. But how do you keep one happy?" The simurgh knelt and began to play tug of war with a rope and a chubby Saint Bernard.

"Well…" Dean really didn't know exactly. There were walks, and treats, and scratches. But it was all academic. He'd never actually spent much time with dogs. Except there was that one time in Florida… but the dog enjoyed that much more than Dean had. Or so he imagined.

"Exactly." She stood, bringing him back to the conversation. "You have a general idea, but no real first hand knowledge. You don't know in the way that someone who's had a dog knows." She paused. "You don't know in the way that a dog knows."

The puppy in his arms tired of scratches and wiggles to get down. Dean reluctantly set him back on the ground with his buddies. He looked over to Cas and saw the Lab was still in doggie bliss under the angel's careful fingers. Figures. "I still have no idea where this is going." He pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures while Cas wasn't looking.

"Simply put, God made a beautiful world, and His ultimate creations- man. But He had no real understanding of what had been made. He tried to be a stern father, like He did with His first children." She nodded to the angel who was not paying them any attention at all. "But the humans chafed under the pressure. Free will, His greatest gift, did not lead them to the obedience He'd come to expect. Eve at a fruit… etc. etc."

Dean kind of saw a parallel, but as unsure if he should be insulted by the dog metaphor or not.

"Please. They are cute." Her expression dared him to disagree. "Anyway, that was obviously a bust.

Dean nodded along because yeah that whole garden thing did seem to be kind of a cock up.

The simurgh snickered. "So, this leads us to His plan, where He is and why you can't find Him. He's on Earth."

Blinking, Dean sat on a bone shaped couch. "What? Like Jesus 2.0?"

"Not quite." She sat next to him. "Incarnation didn't go so well the first time. So He did it a little differently, at least He planned to." She sighed and helped the Rottweiler back onto Dean's lap. Dean had to wonder if he'd need a puppy to get through the next part.

"He sent His essence. His power went out into the people. He bounces around randomly to different hosts, not exactly like vessels since He doesn't take control and they never know He is there. Usually."

Yes, he definitely needed a puppy. Dean looked over. Cas still seemed enthralled by the puppy, though now the angel was sitting on the floor playing tug of war. He wondered if they were going to be leaving with a furry stowaway. But no, Cas wouldn't ever risk a small animal like that. They had too much danger in their lives now. He could already imagine a demon demanding they 'throw down their weapons or the puppy gets it'.

"Usually?" He went back to the conversation, the simurgh seeming content to wait for his attention to return. This whole thing sounded ridiculous. The end is really nigh and God is busy playing Samuel Beckett in his own version of 'Quantum Leap'?

"You ever hear of grannies that lift cars off grandkids?" She leaned back with a sigh. "Low level miracles? That would be Him in the right host at the right time."

"Why?" The million dollar question. Dean could hear the building anger in his voice. Puppy or no. Damn it this was the apocalypse.

"I don't know."

He wanted to glare at her, but she sounded honestly sad. Honestly sympathetic. It was damn hard to be sitting here, so angry with no one and nothing to take it out on. Dean couldn't even clench his fists since he was currently holding a small animal. Maybe this puppy thing was more cruel than kind after all.

"I think it was to know you better. People. His creation that even He couldn't understand completely."

"That's bullshit." And selfish. And crazy.

"Hmm. The fact is I don't know where God is right now. I do know He isn't exactly God at the moment. He's Billy or Suzie or Great Aunt Gert." The simurgh touched Dean's shoulder. "And you need to forget about finding Him for now and concentrate on what you can do."

"What can I do? Angels and Demons are after my ass. Lucifer's in a vessel- at least it isn't Sammy yet. My friends and family are under constant threat. And as awesome as I am, I am just human!" It wasn't exactly a high level blow up, not like some of the ones he'd had with Sam or Bobby, but it ranked up there. He made an effort to calm himself when the puppy made a small frightened noise. He took a deep breath and made an effort to relax, stroking the puppy's head. "So we do what we've been doing this whole time?" It still sounded like a sick joke. She couldn't be suggesting that they-

"Cool your heels and try not to die?" It didn't sound any better when she said it than it had in his head. "It sucks, but yeah. God isn't showing Himself until He is good and ready."

And what more was there to say? Dean looked up only to find Cas already watching him. They hadn't failed, but this sure as hell didn't feel like a win either. He wished that there was something he could do, do something he could say to make this seem less like failure. He had nothing.

Cas looked away first, back to the puppy. Dean again wondered if this location had been picked for more than just the puppy analogy. Not even he felt right throwing a fit when surrounded by puppies. Devious.

"Perhaps. Ok, more than keeping your heads down, if I were you, I'd get my hot little hands on the colt." The simurgh stood, brushing dog hair from her pant legs. Dean realized she didn't have to do it; it was a visual cue that this interview would soon be over. Heh. Interview With a Goddess. Nahh probably wouldn't go over as well as with a Vampire. Dean shook his head. Not the time.

"The colt has been lost to us." This time it was Cas making moves to leave. Though he seemed much more reluctant about putting the puppy down.

"Yeah, well it will give you something to focus on. Bella isn't around to work the Ouija, but others are. Follow omens, use Google Earth! It may be moving, but they can't keep it completely quiet. And hey, when it is in transit is when it is most vulnerable." She grinned. "I learned that from Burn Notice!"

"Huh?" Dean hadn't been up on his TV trivia since he'd been four.

She shook her head, her face a bit sad, "You get the colt. You know that is how it's got to go down unless you want Michael to go where the sun don't shine."

Ewww bad mental image.

The simurgh laughed at his shudder. "Seriously, what kid bull's-eyes all his targets on their first attempt?" She didn't even wait for his answer. "None. None but you. So you know in your bones that is how this is going to go down. You take care of getting the colt, and don't hesitate next time, ok?" The simurgh slowly walked forward, one hand on Cas's shoulder, and one hand on Dean's unbranded shoulder. "This seems like too much, and it is. But where any other man would fail, I have faith you will triumph." She seemed to be looking into his soul, like Cas had once so long ago. "You are not alone. Your allies are why you will win. Have faith in those closest to you. All of them. They will not betray you."

She turned to Castiel, the same look of searching on her face. "Don't be so frightened. You know He works in mysterious ways. Everything is as it should be." She paused. "Well, not exactly."

Cas gasped and stumbled, Dean grabbed his arm to keep the angel from falling. Even through the layers of clothes Cas insisted on wearing, Dean could feel incredible heat radiate off the angel.

"There now. I've taken off the boot Zachariah attached to Castiel's powers and added my own little deterrent if he should try again." She winked at Dean, "Now you can't say I didn't raise a little mojo to help. I really would do more, but I had no part in this creation, and my continued survival here rests on my noninterference."

Cas still seemed unsteady on his feet, so Dean didn't let go even as the simurgh continued. He also wasn't going to argue that she was probably technically interfering right now.

"One re-energized angel, one possible plan of action one end game scenario… not bad for an old chick." The hold on his shoulder tightened comfortingly. "I wish I could produce Him for you, but I can do nothing while He is dormant. The best I could do is telling you where He was when His powers faired. But it would just be like following a pinball ricocheting all over the world if you tried to find Him like that."

"I get it." And he finally did. Not that he wasn't disappointed, he really was. But looking at Cas, he saw the angel had been more than recharged in mojo. He's had a recharge of faith. He had testimony that while not exactly here, his Father was not dead. And that was more proof than Dean had back when he had to keep searching for his own father. So even if this trip hadn't been a jackpot exactly, it wasn't a bust.

"I feel like I should say something." Dean really did. Because this moment, a group huddle with a goddess and an angel on the top of a mountain, seemed like a Moment.

"Don't hurt yourself. How about 'thanks'?" She knew what he meant. It seemed she wasn't one for that sort of thing either.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks." Dean looked over at Cas, but he seemed more than a little choked up and in awe.

"You are welcome Cas and Dean Winchester."

And they were back. No not back. At Bobby's. Dean's grip on Castiel's arm tightened just as Cas reached out to grab onto his arm. There hadn't even been the usual zapping sensation. "So angel air is like coach, and goddess air is like first class."

Castiel didn't respond, just stared at him unblinking.

"You ok, Cas?" Maybe the goddess has done something more to Cas than unlock his powers. So help him, if she'd broken his angel-

"No Dean. I am well." The angel looked down at his vessel. Not vessel anymore. It was just the angel in there now. "I had just… forgotten how it feels to have access to my full powers."

Because of Dean. Of all the bad things he'd done legally morally… that an angel had been punished, lessened, because of him would probably stand out as one of those things he was most ashamed of. That in another life he'd led to Cas's complete destruction, not death because that would have been easier to handle than a drug addled sex addict, made him physically ill if he thought about it.

That it could ever happen in this life- despite everything he'd done differently would continue to do differently was becoming his worst nightmare. Worse than the memories of hell.

He was pulled from his guilt when a hand rested on his shoulder. Cas's hand rested on his shoulder, only a few thin layers of cotton keeping the angel's hand from the mark it had made.

"It was not your fault." Castiel took a step into Dean's space, invading it in a way no one else ever had. "I don't regret any of it. Even if I were still weakened, I would not regret my decisions."

"I-"

"Are you two going to come inside, or is your tea party not finished yet?" Bobby's interruption caused Dean to nearly jump out of his skin. Cas only turned his head to face the window Bobby now waved from.

"Coming, Bobby!" It took a moment, but Cas dropped his hand and Dean took a step back from the angel. With luck they'd never continue this conversation. Dean took a step toward the house before he realized Cas was not following him. Pivoting, he could tell the angel was on the verge of a zap. "Oh no- you're coming with me."

"What? Why?" Castiel actually looked puzzled.

"Part of the adventure is explaining what happened to the people who didn't get to go. In a way they will believe." Dean grimaced. "I need you there for verification."

"Dean, I hardly think-"

"You don't get to go on the fun part and then skip out on the work. That's just not how it goes." He crossed his arms. No way was he going to do this alone. Cas was a part of the team whether he liked it or not.

"Very well.

**************

Feedback would be awesome!


	3. Chapter 3

"Puppies?" Bobby looked like he was waiting for the punch line; for Dean to admit that they were just kidding about the last part.

"Puppies." He hated to disappoint, but Dean couldn't have made half of that stuff up. "I was half expecting Cas to try and bring the Lab home." He looked over, expecting a nod or small smile. Instead, the angel looked affronted.

"War is no place for Snickerdoodle." Dean squirmed under disapproving angel glare for a bit then Cas's expression softened. "However, our time together was enjoyable, and I may have considered it under other circumstances."

Well, now Dean felt like an asshole. Of course he hadn't meant that Cas would ever endanger the dog- just that they'd really seemed to hit it off.

Sam finally broke the uncomfortable silence, "I'm sure that's what Dean meant." His brother had a natural talent for peacekeeping, so long as their father was not involved anywhere in the equation. Then it was left to Dean to try and keep the damage down to a minimum. There were countless busted up motels that would testify that he'd never been quite as tactful as Sam.

From where he stood, Dean met Cas's eyes and nodded. That was exactly what he'd meant. Even if his mouth went and said stupid things, he generally didn't mean them. He knew when the angel relaxed slightly that all was forgiven. The tension drained out of his body and Dean let out a relieved breath. Looking back at the table, he was in time to catch Bobby and Sam shrugging at each other. "What?"

Bobby rolled his eyes, "What? You're the only ones who can share significant looks? Give us a break, boy." Bobby shook his head, cutting off any argument, "Let's just skip to the part where we are making a game plan."

"So," Sam frowned in thought, "She said to get the colt? She thinks we can actually track it down?"

"The simurgh was very specific about that." Cas affirmed.

"The good news is I may not end up a used angel condom!" Dean enthusiastically joked. When three faces turned to him in almost perfect unison to stare at him gravely, he could tell it had fallen flat.

Sammy looked at him like he'd really stepped in it this time. And judging from the way Cas and Bobby were glaring, that was probably not too far off a guess. Damn his mouth. It never failed when he got uncomfortable, he got talkative. Which was fine when you were bullshitting bravery in the face of some evil sonofabitch, but caused problems when in other social situations.

"Life as a catatonic cripple is a poor fate." Cas intoned, "It would be a better fate than the one I fear you'll face if you serve as a vessel for Michael."

Damn it, it looked like he couldn't do anything right today. "I know, Cas." He wondered if he were blushing. His face felt hot, and he was being scolded by a freaking angel so blushing would probably be an appropriate response. In all his life of rather spectacular moments of potential embarrassment, Dean could not really remember a time that felt like this. He really should have known better than to make that comment. What made it suck so much was not that Cas wanted to hurt or embarrass him, but that Cas was genuinely concerned.

"Do you, Dean?" Cas shook his head. "Michael would smite Lucifer, or perhaps send him back to his prison in the pit. But in the process whole cities would be razed; mountains leveled in the battles. Countless innocent lives lost because it wouldn't occur to Michael to behave in a different way." Castiel looked away, to the window that overlooked Singer Auto Yard. "And if you were left intact, if the archangel did not consume you wholly in some misconception of mercy…" He nearly spat the last word, making it sound filthy. "Then you would have to live with that guilt. Of being the last face people saw as they died needlessly. And it would kill you."

Castiel looked back then down at his vessel, "I was… While Jimmy was here I tried to be considerate. As much as I understood it then." He closed his eyes a moment. "And I still put him through shootings. Stabbings." He looked at Bobby and Dean in turn. Then he looked down at his hands. "I told a young girl, who couldn't possibly understand what was going on, that I was not. Her. Father." Castiel looked back up at Dean, "What I have done is mild compared to the things Michael would to."

"Boy, if the guilt didn't kill you, the angry mobs would." Bobby finished gravely.

Dean met Sam's eyes. No, that was not something Dean could ever live with. Just the thought of it made his stomach turn. He shook himself firmly. "Well, that's not gonna happen." Dean set his expression to stubborn. "We're going to get the colt, and I'm going to shoot the son of a bitch." In the face he added mentally. "All right Cas, letting Michael come to the party wearing me like a cocktail dress isn't even Plan F."

"Good. So let's stop jawin' about it and get to work!" Bobby interrupted and slammed his palms down on the table.

Anyone else may have jumped, but Dean actually relaxed at the gesture. He really hated these moments. None of them were the touchy feely types all eager to talk about their feelings, even if Sammy played the part. For Dean, who much preferred actions to words, analyzing how he felt and then saying it was just as uncomfortable as hell. No, scratch that, hell was ultimately more uncomfortable, as he well knew. The image Dean suddenly had of Alistair sipping tea and talking about his inner turmoil was funny in a really creepy, wrong way.

Dean dragged his mind out of that creepy ass gutter and focused on the here and now.

"So, the last place we knew the colt was… where?" Bobby opened a large map of the United States and spread it over the table.

"Pittsburgh." Sam replied, his face grim.

The less said about the loss of the colt, the better. Bela was still a sore point. Just another in a long life of Things They Didn't Talk About. And the thing that really pissed Dean off was that they would have helped her if only she'd asked.

"Right, I say we look for demon sign that occurred anywhere in this area." Bobby traced his finger in a wide circle around the city. "She would have gotten rid of it as quickly as possible. She wouldn't want risk you catching on too quickly and getting to her before she could make the hand off."

"This is going to take time." Sam frowned at the map. "We have months to make up for. And if it hasn't been kept in one place long…"

"We need to narrow down our search somehow. If we jump at any demon activity we are just going to keep running in circles. There is demon activity popping up all over." Dean thought tracking it was a fine idea, if only they had the time.

"Look for small signs." Cas's eyes ran over the map. "No demon of rank would be in the presence of the colt for long if it could help it."

"What?" It didn't make much sense to Dean. "They'd leave it to some low level peons so protect it?"

"Yes. Exactly." Cas nodded.

"Well…" Sam trailed off thoughtfully. "Here is something that can kill a demon, no matter how big and bad they may be. Anything goes wrong, an uppity underling or a hunter catches them off guard, and they could die. No exorcism back home, but destroyed."

Put like that, it did make a certain amount of twisted sense. "So, a big bad, probably Lilith herself, grabs it from Bela and hikes it to some underling."

Bobby nodded in agreement. "Problem is, even if it will be less protected by lower level pukes, it means they can hide better. There is low level sign going on all over."

That was a concern. "For now, I think we need to focus on pinpointing a large demon sign in that are at the time. It gets us one step closer to know where it was." It felt good to have a direction again. Now what to do with a re-haloed angel…

"Shit!" The exclamation halted all other conversation and caused both Sam and Bobby to scan the room, searching for danger. Cas just looked over at Dean. "Cas! Your mojo is back! You can strap on your halo and heal Bobby."

Castiel blinked. It seemed Dean may have surprised Cas. "You are correct. Forgive me, Mr. Singer." He reached for Bobby, only for the older hunter to wheel back out of reach.

"Hold on there, Featherbrain, you too, idjit." Bobby looked between them then focused on Cas. "Do your asshole brothers know you're been plugged back into Heaven's holy electrical socket?"

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing, "What are you talking about? What does it matter if they do?"

"It matters if they don't! Right now he isn't considered a major threat. Just some annoyance they could swat like a fly if he is within reach." Cas deflated a bit, but Bobby continued, "They don't care if we have a mojoless angel helping, but if they find out he's back in action, they might just bring out the big guns. Right now if he's out of sight; he's out of mind."

Bobby wheeled himself back to the table. "It's called strategic thinking. Learn it and then apply it some time." The 'dumbass' was left unsaid but was heavily implied. "If you've got a weapon the enemy doesn't know about, don't show it off until you can be damn sure it is the perfect time." Bobby looked down at his chair. "I'd like to get up now and do a jig, but the longer you can keep your nuke with wings under cover- the better."

Sam choked at the last statement, Dean grinned, cuz yeah Cas as a nuke with wings was a funny image. Just how would he keep the trench coat on? But why did Bobby have to have a point? And Dean knew that if he asked Cas to do it anyway Bobby's first action with working legs would be to kick his ass.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Singer." Cas did sound genuinely regretful, but he still moved back to his seat.

"Don't be sorry. Just be sure that when your cover is blown you live long enough to get me out of this damn chair." He scowled but just enough to prove he was serious. "And it's Bobby."

Nodding solemnly, Cas tried it, "Bobby."

"Well, don't wear it out now!"

"I will endeavor to restore you prior to my unmaking." Castiel stated as if it were a foregone conclusion.

"Hey now, no one is getting unmade." Dean looked around the room. "Not you, not Sam, not Bobby." As if with just his stubbornness he could make it so. However, he could easily tell Sam and Bobby weren't buying it. They knew too well that this was probably going to end bloody for all of them. If they beat the devil or not, there were still angels to fight. And the odds were just not in their favor.

"And you?" Castiel asked simply, not accusing like Sammy or Bobby may have been at the omission.

Even though Cas was centuries older than anyone in the room, he still seemed so naïve at times that Dean just wanted to shelter him from all of this. He wanted to keep the angel safe somewhere far away from the fighting with a small puppy for a companion. And it is fucking ridiculous because he'd seen Cas tear through demons and angels alike. He'd seen him go all 'mean mother fucking servant of God'! This angel had fought his way into and out of hell. And Cas still had faith that they could pull it out in the end.

"Yeah, Cas. Me too." Dean was not about to strip away any more of the angel's faith. Not if he could help it. Dean's lips twitched as he looked back at the map. So many places the colt could be, and it wasn't even limited to the States.

"What are you going to do now, Cas?" Sam questioned the angel, drawing Dean's attention away from the map. He frowned faintly when he saw Sam's eyes get that sympathetic puppy look that worked so well on witnesses. Something clenched in Dean's gut and wouldn't let go.

"What do you mean?" Cas did his confused head tilt and Dean wondered how much manipulative body language a single room could hold. He crossed his arms and watched Sam's patented 'I'm here for you' face scrunch meet the 'cuddle me and make the bad thoughts go away' head tilt Cas invented. Dean considered this to be especially cute because Cas hadn't been around humans long, so he most likely had no idea just what he was tapping into.

It was like Clash of the (gut tugging) Titans.

"You were actively searching for God, but…" Sam paused and Dean counted the standard three 'I'm looking for a gentle way to put this' beats. "The simurgh told you it was useless. What will you do?" If Sam went for the hug, Dean may have to punch him. A glance told him Bobby was none too impressed either

"I don't know." Cas looked down and Dean uncrossed his arms. The angel looked so dejected; it was like the necklace all over again. But this time Dean didn't know how to make it better. He looked to Sammy who was, for some reason, watching him.

Sam surprised Dean by uttering the words he never expected to hear, "Come hunt with us."

The relationship between his brother and his angel was polite at best. For the most part, Sam never really got over the disappointment of what angels really were, i.e. manipulative dicks. And Cas had trouble with the whole demon blood taint and addiction. All those reasons would have made it damn awkward for Dean to have suggested it. But if Sammy was willing to give it a try…

It seemed Cas was just as startled; he just sat there a few moments before nodding "If you believe I will be helpful." The last part he directed at Dean.

Helpful? He had to be joking. No, angel. So, he wasn't joking. His Cas seemed to be the only angel with self-esteem issues. He tucked that away for later, for now he slung an arm casually over Cas's shoulders. "Of course you can help! Haven't you been watching? Sammy and I get our asses handed to us regularly."

"Hey!"

Dean ignored Sam's indignant shout. "Even if you aren't flexing your mojo, you can definitely help us out." This was going to be epic.

"Well, now that we are done sharing and caring, I just so happen to have a hunt all lined up." Bobby's falsely cheerful voice interrupted as he dropped a manila folder on the map that still covered the table. Dean dropped his arm from Cas's shoulders. He felt pretty good about the whole situation so far, and it looked like there was going to be a field test of this new group dynamic soon. Dean paused and cursed Dean Smith and Zachariah again.

The downside was they weren't going to get a few days R&R. Dean and Sam shrugged at each other, resigned. The apocalypse waited for no man.

"What do you have, Bobby?" Dean asked as they all leaned over the table to get a good look at the information. He was distracted a moment by just how close Cas stood to his left. Just to his left and a little behind, in fact. So the Angel was peering over his shoulder at the pictures of missing people. So close Dean could smell him.

They'd had a conversation about personal space, but it never seemed to stick. It didn't matter that Dean knew the angel didn't mean anything by it and didn't really care anymore at this point if Cas got up in his space. The fact was if he was going to interact with people, someone was going to take offense to Cas's habit of encroaching on space. But he would remind the angel some other time.

Dean refocused on the hunt, and happily Sam was already getting to the point. "So, what do you think is taking them?"

Bobby hesitated, leafing through the reports, finally giving up on finding a better conclusion. "It sounds like the Wild Hunt."

"The Wild Hunt?" Sam's voice went up a few octaves, disbelieving. "I know we specialize in the unbelievable but, fairies?"

"I thought they were all about grabbing men in the woods who were in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Dean shuddered, but tried to recall more of the stories.

"Well, they haven't been in the news as much as the three kids, but two hunters have also gone missing. Now, I didn't say it was a perfect fit, but it is the best we got based on these accounts." Bobby pushed the folder to Sam, who began to flip through it all.

"The motives of the Fey are strange and alien." Cas spoke softly, obviously troubled.

Dean nodded, the humor of the pot calling the kettle black was not lost on him, but he decided he'd stuck his foot in his mouth enough for one day. Dean stretched, feeling no less than two vertebrae pop. The last few hours were catching up with him quickly. "All right. We head out tomorrow at seven." He turned and clapped Cas on the shoulder, "Come on, I'll make you up a room for the night." He would leave Sammy here to burn the pertinent details into his gigantic brain.

"But, I do not-" Even as he protested, the angel turned and followed Dean up the large wooden staircase to the second floor of Bobby's house.

"Don't give me that. You're going to be hunting with us; you need a crash course in humanity." Dean made sure not to sound angry or accusing. He certainly wasn't angry that Cas didn't know these little details of human life. He was just concerned that the angel would get himself into trouble some day. "Waiting by the side of the road until we wake up isn't going to cut it." Dean had realized after his trip to the future and close encounter of the douchey kind with Zachariah that standing by the roadside actually was what the angel spent a lot of time doing. And it was just weird. A benign weird but other people, the kinds of people who call police about men who stood late at night by the side of the road wearing trench coats, wouldn't know that.

And he'd like to avoid his angel getting picked up for malicious loitering. So, human lesson number one: spending the night in a room and at least pretending to sleep.

Dean stopped at the linen closet at the top of the stairs and pulled out some 'fresh' sheets. Like much of the house they smelled of disuse. Dust tickled his nose and eyes as he gathered the folded fabric; he stifled a sneeze as best he could.

He waited for it, and was just a little disappointed when it never came. Dean looked over his shoulder as he opened the door to a bedroom next to the one designated 'Dean's'. "What," he went for a hurt pout, "no 'Bless you'?"

Following close behind, Cas stood stiffly in the room. "That tradition holds no actual merit and is based on erroneous-"

Dean shoved the blankets he'd stripped from the bed at Cas, effectively cutting off his diatribe. Cash held the blankets like they were made from nuclear waste material and Dean had to quickly turn to hold back his laugh. "Man, I was kidding. Besides, a 'Bless you' from you would probably be seriously over powered mojo. Who knows what might have happened."

"You might never have sneezed again." Dean froze, hands under one corner of the mattress, tucking the fitted sheet. He slowly turned his head, but saw only Castiel, looking like he was on the verge of a grin.

Dean shook his head and smiled as he went back to his task. It could have been a joke, or a sincere statement of the possibility. Not being one hundred percent sure was just part of the Cas adventure.

Dean finished with the sheets. He turned, pulled the sheets from Cas's tenuous hold and finished making the bed in record time. He had no illusion that the angel would actually use it, but it made him feel better to have something simple to do. He paused when he sensed Cas encroach on his personal space. Briefly, Dean considered making another space argument, but it hadn't worked the first few times, and so he'd probably best just give up and focus on other things. He turned and, as he'd expected, Cas was only inches away looking at him like Dean was the one with all the knowledge in the Universe. "So, I am to remain in this room until morning?"

Leave it to Cas to be so very simple. Not stupid, but just straight forward. Zachariah and Uriel and their ilk seemed to be all about the manipulation and subtle undertones. Only Castiel would hear 'room for the night' and take it to mean exactly that, the room where he must spend the night.

Dean tossed the pillow back to the head of the bed and focused on Castiel, "You sleepy, Cas?"

The angel in question frowned in confusion, "Of course not, Dean." The look was one the list of expressions Dean found himself to be weak against. It seemed the list was a growing one, and soon he was going to have to reexamine Cas's expressions as to whether they were 'accidental' or not. He found himself giving in to them far too often for his peace of mind.

"All right then," Dean gestured to the door. "Let's go." Sure he was exhausted, but he wasn't going to just dump Cas in the room and leave him alone to sit in the dark his first night in a strange place.

"Go where?" Cas followed him back down the stairs and into the library.

He could hear the quiet scratch of turning pages and silence otherwise. Dean's quick glace reassured him that if the open tomes spread over the table were any indication, Sammy wouldn't be missing his baby any time soon. Quietly, Dean slipped the laptop from Sam's bag, ignoring the 'Hands Off Dean!' sticker. Sam may mock Dean's love for the Impala, but his little brother was not above his own inanimate attachments.

Castiel eyed the laptop in his hand, frowning at the sticker. "Why are you taking the laptop?"

Reaching out, Dean hushed the angel with his fingers before Sam could hear any more questions. He grabbed Cas's arm and led him into the living room area. He carefully stepped around piled of books and boxes before balancing the laptop on a pedestal of old magazines and newspapers. He dug around, careful of the precarious balance of the many towering periodicals in the room, before finding an outlet to plug the laptop into. "Bobby has a great place, but his entertainment options are limited." Dean pointed to the ancient TV and disused VCR that flashed an incessant twelve o'clock. "Even I have to bow to the high tech at times." He frowned and pushed the power button with determination. Never would he stoop to CDs or, heaven… God... Castiel forbid, MP3s.

"So, you are going to research?" Cas sounded very unsure of that possibility, and Dean smiled with pride. It showed Cas knew about them well enough to know that the laptop was primarily for research. But Dean's first choice of activity would never be research. For Dean, research ranked up there with washing Sam's gigantic under things. Necessary for the good of the world, but something Dean really would rather not do.

Clicking through a few folders, Dean considered and dismissed some options before he found the winner. "Cas, I'm going to introduce you to one of my heroes." He grabbed Castiel's hand and dragged the angel down onto the couch beside him. He was slightly surprised when Cas flopped gracelessly next to him, but paid it little mind. "Batman, meet Castiel: Badass angel of the Lord. Castiel, meet Nolanverse Batman." Dean double clicked on the file and sat back. This was going to kick so much ass.

It didn't surprise him how fast the movie went. He always got so into it; time lost all meaning. What did surprise him a little was how into it Cas got. The angel seemed lost in the action, jumping and gasping at various scenes. One time, the angel even grabbed at his arm, though he wasn't sure if it were to seek protection, like he would expect from some chick he took to the movie, or to zap them away from danger.

The next moment Cas had blinked guiltily before releasing Dean's arm and turning his attention back to the small glowing screen. Dean didn't say anything. Hell, it pleased him the angel got so caught up in the action. It was just more proof Castiel was one of the good guys if he could appreciate Batman.

So when bright blue eyes turned to him and Cas asked if there were more, Dean forgot all about how early seven am came. He clicked on The Dark Knight and let it roll.

This time there was a lot more jumping. At some point, about midway, Cas grabbed Dean's wrist and held on. It was about when the Joker made his demands for Batman's identity, and Dean didn't mind. He'd forgotten just how scary the Joker had been. Perhaps this was a bit much for an angel's second exposure to cinema.

Dean turned his head away from the screen and studied Cas. The angel was totally focused on the movie, body tense as if he may have to fight or run at any second. Dean leaned over, "I can stop it, you know. It's just a movie." Even as he said it, he cringed inside. But as much as it wasn't just a movie to him- it might be too much for Cas, and the angel needed to know it could be stopped.

"No." Castiel didn't even glance away from the havoc and destruction the Joker wrought on downtown Gotham. "It is terrible, and the 'Joker' is expressing and exhibiting all the worst opinions my brothers hold toward humanity, but…" Castiel frowned as the Joker was arrested. "their madness is compelling."

"Their?" Dean didn't want to distract Castiel from the movie, but it was an interesting choice of pronoun.

"Their. They are all mad in some ways." Castiel still watched the movie, his face illuminated by the eerie glow. "The Joker is pure chaos. He is anarchy at its worst. His goal, if he really has one, is to prove that humans are at their heart violent dangerous animals that will turn on each other at a moment's notice. Harvey is obsessed with the idea of chance and the thought that the universe is actually fair." Castiel snorted. "Or he is convinced that it should be fair. It is a surprisingly idealistic philosophy for someone who should know better."

Dean held his tongue. Cas would find out about Harvey's naïveté and where it gets him soon enough.

"And Batman, who believes in order and basic human decency, is still so driven by vengeance that he is ruled by the need. He can never stop being Batman. Maybe because he was denied vengeance by his own hand against the man who killed his parents, he fills the void with the criminals he can punish. But in his crusade he is perhaps as corrupt as the Joker."

Smiling, Dean sat back. "You nailed it, Cas. Even Sammy didn't get it so quickly."

"Thank you." Cas squeezed his arm again. Perhaps because of the compliment or perhaps because of the interrogation.

Dean quieted and watched the rest of the movie in silence. When the credits rolled he didn't even need to hear the question, he just clicked on the first Batman movie. "Now, this was made years ago, by a different director, Tim Burton. It's got different actors too."

Cas nodded and Dean settled back against the couch's soft cushions, hiding a grin when Cas's hand rested on his arm again. He could just tell Cast that this movie was nowhere near as scary as the other two, but he decided Cas would figure it out.

And it was nice to be a protector against something so easy to defeat. He settled in for a long night. Dean promised himself they'd stop before Batman Forever.

The last thing Dean clearly remembered was Michelle Pfeiffer cart wheeling.

*************

Comments & Criticism would be awesome! *Also: Notice this was unbetaed! Unbetaed fics make kittens cry. My usual beta is having internet issues that may linger. We are unsure they may last. Would you be interested in the wild, underpaid world of being a harsh task master/grammar nazi? If so, send me a PM and we can work out details. =)


	4. Chapter 4

He should have known the day was shot to hell when the first thing that he saw was Sam's face. Ten more minutes were all that he needed, so he mentally flipped his brother off and rolled over. On this side though there was a blue tie hanging in his face. He had to sleepily bat the fabric away before it stopped ticking his nose.

It was the snicker that wouldn't let him drift off again long enough to realize there shouldn't normally be a dark blue tie hanging directly in front of his eyes. Dean froze and considered how likely it was that there would be a hole opening up in the ground anywhere nearby. Because judging by Sammy's giggles, Dean would never live this down.

He blinked blearily. Sure enough, he was facing a crisp white button down shirt. Well, fuck. That explained the oddly shaped pillow.

Rolling onto his back, Dean looked up at Cas. He stubbornly ignored his brother, who was busy laughing his ass off, and shared an amused smile with the angel. "Good morning, Cas."

"Good morning, Dean." Cas looked completely composed and unfazed by the situation. It was unfair.

Adopting a similar nonchalance, Dean chose to ignore Sam, who had finally finished laughing and was now packing their bags into the Impala. "Guess I fell asleep."

The angel nodded, "You didn't see the end of the movie." Cas paused, looking thoughtful in a way that made Dean wonder if he should be nervous now. "Do you often go to sleep on people? Is that common for humans?"

Dean considered this a moment. "Uh. No. It's not something people usually do."

Really, it was not something that Dean ever did. He liked his space, and when he slept with women there wasn't much sleeping going on. When the sleeping bit came about, he usually cleared out. Which was why he should be jumping up now, and not chatting comfortably with his head in a man's... an angel's lap. But it was actually pretty nice. And comfortable. Maybe there was something to this cuddling thing after all.

Not that he was cuddling.

"Most people only allow themselves to sleep like that with someone they trust." Sam added helpfully as he kicked at Dean's boots. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty, get up!" His brother smirked evilly, "Unless you're waiting for a wake up-"

Sammy was not allowed to finish that thought. "I'm up!" Dean sat up, glaring at Sam. Jokes like that were common place for them, but Cas wouldn't understand that Sam was being a bitch. "Don't worry, I'm not horning in on your department, Princess." He dodged the cushion Sam tossed by ducking into the kitchen. Dean hadn't missed the way Cas's face lit up when Sam mentioned trust. It made him feel a bit bad that maybe Cas didn't know how much Dean trusted him.

Bobby sat quietly at the table, a cup of coffee in his hands. Dean paused and took a good look at the older hunter. Older was a good description these days. Of course, it was no wonder, with the events of the past few years. The Winchester boys had put more than their fair share of gray into Bobby's hair. And it wasn't like him to not bust Dean's chops for acting like a little kid.

"Morning, Bobby." Dean slumped into the chair across the table and wondered if Bobby was even going to respond.

"You sure are bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning." Bobby looked up from his cup and pinned Dean with a look that made him immediately feel guilty. For what exactly, he had no idea.

Running a hand through his hair in lieu of a comb, Dean shrugged. "Uh yeah." And it was true. In spite of getting nowhere near enough sleep he did feel refreshed and alert now. If Sammy thought he was getting first driving shift; he was wrong.

Dean felt like a bug under Bobby's knowing eyes. He had no idea what Bobby was seeing but there was a part of him that felt like it was too much. Bobby took a sip of coffee. "So the beds here no longer meet your exacting standards?" The hunter's eyebrow rose with the question.

Snorting, Dean shook his head. After the places he'd slept, a bed- any bed was heaven. A bed at Bobby's especially so since this was one of the few places he could be assured his own room and the privacy that came with it. Privacy he'd wasted last night, he realized with a pang of regret. Oh well, making a Batman convert of Cas was worth it. "Nah, Bobby, Cas and I were just having a Batman marathon."

"You and those movies." Bobby shook his head and finally looked away. "So, did your angel appreciate meeting your God?"

"While he is an able fighter for justice, Batman is no man of divinity." Cas protested mildly as he entered the kitchen. "That would detract from the worth of his character." Nodding his approval, Dean kicked a chair away from the table for Cas.

"Not another one!" Bobby rolled his eyes, but Dean could swear he saw a smile before Bobby took another long drink.

Linking his fingers behind his head, Dean leaned back in his chair. As much as he knew they were needed elsewhere, he wished they could spend more time here. Somehow Bobby's had become home base. No, it was more than home base. It had become home. Maybe someday he'd get drunk enough to tell Bobby that.

But then again, the other man had eyes and knew the Winchesters better than anybody. He probably knew already. And as the hunter shared his opinion of emotional scenes, he wouldn't appreciate it if Dean did spell it out. So, it was best that he just leave it as it was, and Bobby would always keep some rooms set aside.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Bobby." Cas reached out and touched Bobby's mug with two fingers. Steam began to gently rise from the cup. Dean grinned; Cas was really learning if he knew the best thanks he could give Bobby was a reheated cup of coffee.

Bobby snorted and took another drink before nodding and setting his cup down. "Well, you keep the boys and yourself in one piece and you're welcome back anytime."

Dean felt a surge of gratitude that the older hunter would open his home to Cas so freely. Such an invitation from Bobby, even with the condition, was really unheard of. Last Dean knew, even John Winchester was only welcome if he called ahead. It felt good to see Bobby approved of and seemed to like Cas.

But he also couldn't help but feel that something more was going on. More than Cas getting an open invite to Bobby's. Even more than Bobby, in essence, approving of Cas as a member of their family. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it felt good and right in a way that things hadn't felt in a long time.

Cas's thanks were interrupted when Bobby handed them each a travel mug of glorious coffee. "And on that subject, isn't there some place you were going?" He looked pointedly at the door.

Yeah, he could head out now. "Yes sir!" Dean tossed Bobby a quick salute and pulled Cas out of the kitchen before Bobby could make good on the threat that he was not too old for an ass whoopin'.

****

The first few days went well. They got along smoothly even if Cas wouldn't help him torment Sam. The nights also went well once they got Cas set up with the laptop and a pair of headphones. At Dean's last count, the angel had watched the Nolanverse three times and the other apocryphal Batman movies once more each.

They fell into the habit of intense debate on the finer points of each movie and themes- much to Sam's amusement and occasional disgust. Sometimes his brother opted to cram himself into the backseat of the Impala when things got especially intense. He would hunker down with the laptop and headphones, making an occasional comment when the volume of the conversation rose high enough.

Dean found out that sometimes, when he really had a point to prove, Cas spoke with his hands. He would wave them wildly when enthusiastic, or his finger would jab at the air when adamant. And that was kinda awesome. So much so that Dean didn't mind very much if he occasionally had to concede a point.

The 'fun road trip' vibe was lost when Bobby called with the news that another child had gone missing. They were running out of time.

So there were no more nights spent at motels; they switched off on driving shifts. Sam had suggested having Cas just zap them there, but moving them and the car might draw notice that they didn't need. And Dean was not about to leave the Impala behind.

Dean missed the debates, but they needed to be quiet so Sam could sleep in the backseat while Dean drove. Over time he realized it was different, but still not bad. There were other things they could discuss that wouldn't involve having to prove a point through increased volume. Or they could ride in silence. Cas was good at being a silent passenger.

It was these times Dean wondered what Sam and Cas discussed while Dean slept. Or, if Cas and Sam preferred silent riding. Dean kind of hoped they talked. At least a little.

Dean glanced over at Cas. The angel was looking out the passenger side window at the scenery that flew by. Unlike Sam, he was not clutching the dash or pressing on an imaginary break. Dean thought this was pretty good.

Almost as if hearing Dean's thoughts, and maybe he could because he was now a re-haloed angel; Cas turned to study him. "Shouldn't you be watching the road?"

"Shit!" Dean swerved the Impala back into the right hand lane, grateful that no one else was on this stretch of Interstate 40 at three in the morning. He looked into the rearview mirror and breathed a sigh of relief. Sam was still drooling away in the back. And so untold hours of harassment were narrowly avoided.

That was way too stupid a move. Obviously it was way past time for Sam's shift. He spared a moment to glance at Sam squeezed into the backseat. Only a moment because his heart was still beating a mile a minute in his chest and he was not going to risk that again. That aside, it only took a moment to see the lines of exhaustion etched into Sam's face. They hadn't really rested at Bobby's and sleeping in the Impala, spacious backseat or no, was not the most restful sleep.

If they kept this up they'd be zombies by the time they reached Virginia. However, there was nothing else he could do now but drive; there wasn't a motel for miles.

"Do you trust me?" Cas was watching him now instead of the scenery.

Those words never failed to set off warning bells in Dean's mind. It seemed no matter who said 'trust me'; it usually ended badly for Dean. Or it involved something he was not going to like. Still, this was Cas so his answer was a given. "Uh yeah, Cas." Sue him if it sounded a little hesitant. "What do you have in mind?"

The angel shifted in his seat, half turning to dean. "I could… mind whammy you to be more alert."

Dean always got a kick out of it when Cas said something so unangelic. It took him a moment to let that process. "Like angelic speed?" He shot Cas an incredulous look. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. It could be addictive or something.

"More like heavenly No-Doz." Cas never failed to surprise him with the cultural references he did get. "It would help you get to a hotel, but you'll crash hard once you're there."

It sounded just like regular No-Doz, with the exception of being delivered through a laying of hands rather than handy pill format. "All right, hit me. Whammy away." Dean was willing to give it a shot if it meant he could get them to a hotel in one piece.

He felt the quick brush of two fingers against his temple before the world came into sharp focus. In an instant he felt his mind come to a level of awareness it rarely reached. He usually only felt this way, this in tune with the world around him, when everything was going to hell and all he had was his instincts to keep him and Sammy alive. He'd never had the chance to actually enjoy the sensation before what with it accompanied by heart-stopping terror. Now he really wondered if he'd have a chance to eat some good pie under the angelic influence.

He'd probably come in his pants.

Dean made a mental note to convince Cas to let him try the experiment some time when he had privacy. Preferably with a 'Magic-Fingers' enabled bed. He could make it an entire evening. Just the thought of it was making his pants a little tight. And a little guilty since Cas was sitting right. Next. To. Him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and searched for something more distracting than the empty road. "So, this isn't something you angels would need. You've whammied someone like this before."

"Once." Cas's reply was slow in coming and obviously reluctant.

That meant there was a story there. Or something bad. The warning bells were going off again. "Yeah, anybody I know?"

"Maybe…" Cas tilted his head. "Have you ever heard of Rip Van Winkle?"

Dean wasn't too clear on the specifics, but that was definitely the name of a guy who fell asleep for twenty years. "Seriously?!" Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly as he shot panicked looks from the road to Cas and back to the road.

"No." The angel's voice was smug.

Dean relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the road sign assuring him that Millwood was only a few more miles away. He could get them there tonight, crash and get started on the case in the morning. And strangle Cas somewhere in there too. But for right now, Dean focused on the road. "You've gotten mean."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Cas protested and went back to watching the scenery pass.

A snicker escaped the backseat.

"You have something to add, Sleeping Sasquatch?" Dean addressed the lump of brother behind him.

"I'm sleeping. I have no idea what you are talking about." For someone asleep, the response sounded pretty awake to Dean.

"Then sleep with less snickering." Dean's eyes narrowed. Sam and Cas ganging up to torment him had never figured into his picture of the future. And hell, that was pretty OK too.

***

Millwood was like almost any other small American town. Nothing was of any real note, though it boasted the usual number of important historical places as most cities and towns in the north east. These 'places of interest' usually turned out to be some home or building that housed some important figure or event.

For Dean at least, he couldn't care less what building some old-timey general lived for a few years before kicking it. Give Dean balls of twine and mystery spots. The first were fun to pose with and the second now made Sam tear up like a girl.

What Millwood did have that set it apart was a growing list of missing persons. Dean straightened his tie and studied himself in the mirror. To him he still looked about as trustworthy as a twelve year old in a room full of girl scout cookies.

All it seemed to take for the world at large was a cheap suit and the "I know what I'm doing' attitude. And a badge. He patted his pocket and felt the lump of fake ID under his jacket. People really put a lot of faith in badges.

"You ready, Cas?" Dean left the bedroom in search of his partners. Sam was already waiting, everything in place and ready to go. Cas was struggling to straighten his tie.

Sam caught his eye and Dean could see his brother was trying to form an argument for why Cas shouldn't come along on the interviews. Which was so not gonna happen. He looked away and took over for the angel. "Here, Cas." He took off the tie completely, buttoned up the last button on Cas's shirt and began to retie the blue tie.

"Dean, are you sure?" Sam finally broke down and said what was on his mind. "No offense, Cas, but I don't think they're going to buy it." And Dean supposed he couldn't fault Sam too much, the past few hours had been spent going over how to do things like open his badge and not mention the demons.

"And why not?" Dean tightened the tie perfectly into place, absently patting the tie before stepping back to take in the effect. Yes, Cas looked like the model G-Man. Dean snickered. Cas sure was the model G-Man. More than those other angels out there.

Cas looked confused at Dean's sudden laughter but Dean shook his head. It was probably only amusing to him. Dean reached out and checked Cas's pocket for the FBI badge that should be there. It was, so he nodded and buttoned one button on Cas's jacket. Now it was perfect.

Eventually Dean noticed that Sam had stopped complaining and was just watching him. "What?"

Sam's lips curled up into a shit-eating grin. "Have you packed him a lunch with his milk money?"

On the brink of the prefect comeback, Dean was stopped by Cas. "Dean… I have to go to the bathroom."

And that made absolutely no sense! Angels didn't pee… did they? As Dean stood there, completely blown away by the possibility of Cas needing to pee and needing to announce the fact to Dean, Cas held his arms slightly out to his sides. "I can't put my arms down."

It wasn't until Sam's barking laughter filled the room that Dean's brain caught the movie reference and the particular scene. Sam was on his way to hyperventilating as Cas just stood there, his arms held out and his smile growing wider. (1)

Dean snorted in spite of himself and pressed Cas's arms down. To which the angel held them out again. "Mommy's little piggy better get his G-Man act together, or he won't live to see his big brother get capped in the face."

Cas slowly lowered his arms, but his smile never wavered. He turned and led the way out of the hotel room, closely followed by Dean.

"Hey! If Lucifer is Ralphie… what does that make me?" Sam hurried to catch up to them.

"The Bumpus hounds." Dean kicked the door closed in Sam's face.

"OW!" (2)

*********

Comments & Criticism would be awesome! =D

(1) "A Christmas Story" Possibly the best Christmas movie ever. One of my favorite movies of all time. Blame the time of the year for adding this. But Dean would be the over-protective mother bundling up her young son (Cas) to go to school in several layers of clothes. So many layers that he could barely move.

(2) The Bumpus Hounds (Sam) are the smelly mangy dogs of the next door neighbors. In one scene one of the hounds gets the door closed on its ear.


	5. Chapter 5

Sergeant Ford, much like the many other local law they'd met on hunts, met them with a mixture of hostility and relief. "You suits certainly took your time to get here." In this case with six missing persons some of whom were children, the relief was a bit more apparent than usual.

They flashed the fake badges in an impressive synchronized motion. Dean watched from the corner of his eye to make sure Cas didn't have any troubles like last time. But not so much as a hair was out of place, so that was a relief. He put his own badge back into his pocket and replied before Sam took point. "We'll be sure to pass your concerns on to our director."

He heard Sam's exasperated sigh but didn't particularly care. Teasing the cops was one of the few perks of the job.

Ford looked like he was currently battling an intense round of indigestion, and Dean considered it the sign of a job well done. Back to work. "So, what do you have?"

When Ford grimaced again Dean could tell that this interview would be the shortest of the day. "We have one witness, but his statement is… a little confused."

What regular police saw as confused statements could be goldmines for them. Dean nodded to Sam.

"We would still like to speak with the witness." Sam flipped open his little notebook. It made everything much more official when there was a notebook involved, and if someone wasn't being helpful before the notebook usually did the trick.

Ford's eye flicked between the three 'FBI agents' in front of him. "I don't know what else you can possibly get from Johnny Miller. He and Frank Patterson were out alone at the wrong time."

"They were allowed to play in the forest?" Sam's voice rose with disbelief. Dean had to agree. What sort of parents would allow their children alone in a place that five other people, including some children, had gone missing?

His rising anger was cut short when the Sergeant shook his head. "They were on their way to school. It seems that Frankie was taken just steps away from his front lawn."

Dean, Cas and Sam looked at each other silently as Ford retrieved Johnny Miller's address for them. The pattern had been broken and that meant no one was safe.

**

"He's been like that ever since it happened." Alicia Miller stood at the window of her kitchen and stared at the figure of her son as he sat motionless on the swing set. Her eyes, which barely flicked to them before again settling on her son, were darkly shadowed and red rimmed.

"Can you tell us what he told you?" Dean let Sam take the lead on this one. Being a comfort was much more Sam's area of expertise. Dean was well aware he on the other hand exceeded in instigation and antagonism.

"He… he said she was beautiful." Unsteadily, Alicia raked her fingers through tangled and greasy blonde hair. Dean could clearly see her hands shaking as she spoke. "He asked me why-" She pressed her hands to her mouth tightly, eyes welling up.

"Please, we're sorry but it could be important." Sam gently prodded.

The woman wiped harshly at her eyes, shooting them a glare before focusing on her eight year old son again. "He asked me why she didn't take him too!" She hiccuped, holding back sobs even as the tears ran down her face.

Shit. There was just nothing you could say to that. And explaining to this poor woman that her son doesn't really mean he wants to be kidnapped, that he'd just been mind whammied by fairies. It didn't take a genius to know that would not go well.

They stood there in uncomfortable silence, unsure of how to proceed. Finally Sam stepped up. "Would it be possible for my partner to speak with your son?"

She was already shaking her head. "I don't think-"

"Agent Morrison has an affinity for children that I have rarely seen." Cas interrupted, pressing the issue. Dean could barely keep himself from swallowing his own tongue, luckily Alicia was so out of it she didn't notice.

She hesitated, obviously struggling to come to a decision. Finally she nodded. "If you can get through to him…" Her lips trembled. "He won't even speak to me." This seemed to break her resolve, and she began to truly cry, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

"Mrs. Miller, come with me." Sam gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Why don't we go sit down?"

"But-" She froze, head snapping up to look again to where her son sat unmoving.

"My partners will watch your son." Sam gently urged her into the living room. With a small nod, the woman allowed herself to be led from the kitchen.

Dean was patient enough to wait for Sam to take Alicia out of earshot before turning to Cas. "Dude, an 'affinity for children'? What the hell?" Dean eyed Cas warily and wondered just where that BS came from. Sure, it had worked but that kind of malarkey was pure Sammy.

Cas looked away, toward the small boy alone in the yard. "I was not incorrect Dean. You are able to connect with children easily." The angel gave him a sideways glance and Dean swore those blue eyes twinkled. "It must be because you are just an overgrown boy."

Snorting, Dean shook his head, then realized Cas had just teased him. He looked back and saw just a hint of nervousness on the angel's face. Clapping a hand on Cas's shoulder, Dean gave him an approving grin. "Nice one, Cas." He had to shake his head in wonder. He'd never imagined he's see the day that Cas would be cracking jokes. About him no less. They weren't fantastic jokes, but it was the effort he appreciated.

Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the small boy on the swing. "But even if I am the world's answer to Peter Pan, how am I gonna get through to the kid? He's been totally mind whammied."

The only thing he knew that worked against fairies would be fire... and he wasn't about to burn the kid alive to dispel some lingering magic. Fairies. He stubbornly used that term, even if Sam had discovered through his super geeking that the correct expression was 'faery' or 'fae'. Dean much preferred 'fairy' because picturing Tinkerbelle made the things seem much less intimidating and much less likely to kick his ass.

There had to be something else they could do. He frowned and looked to where the Impala waited, parked in the driveway. All the herbs and different mojo breakers and blockers they had to best any monster he could think of, but none of it could help this poor kid. Salt, holy water, silver, Goofer dust, iron-

"Yes!" Dean snapped his fingers and jogged to the Impala, feeling hopeful again. He could tell Cas was behind him, watching silently, and he shot him an excited grin as he opened the trunk. "In the stories, fairies are vulnerable to iron." He dug through the various compartments until he found the small box he was looking for. He picked out a small round iron ball and rolled it in his palm before closing his fingers tightly and closing the trunk. "It might be what we need to snap the kid out of it."

Castiel didn't even question it. And that was equal parts flattering and disturbing. "I will wait here by the house." Cas took a step back. "You need to make the child comfortable and I still am not adept at being human."

"Oh you're not so bad." Even if sometimes he was. "But you're right, this probably will go easier without an audience." Dean tossed the ball into the air and caught it in his hand before taking off toward the swing set.

The wind kicked up as he approached the little boy, the empty swing began to sway with the breeze like Johnny had an invisible playmate. Dean suppressed a shiver. He'd seen the reality of far too many invisible 'playmates' in his life to be comfortable with the concept.

The whole scene was screaming wrong at him, and Dean had to swallow past the lump of unease in his throat. He could suffer through the heebie jeebies later, right now he had work to do. Catching the swing, Dean carefully eased himself down onto the seat of curved plastic.

Figuring it for a lost cause, Dean still decided to give talking a shot. "Hey, Johnny." There was nothing. Not even a flicker of acknowledgment. "Your mom is kinda upset you're sitting out here so long. Why don't we go inside?"

"No." Johnny Miller's voice was dull and lifeless. He sounded like a small robot. But even a negative response was a response and much more than Dean had expected. Dean rolled the bullet between his fingers.

"Why not?"

The boy's eyes blinked very slowly; Dean doubted that whatever Johnny was seeing was anything he could see too. "She will come back. I must be ready."

Dean went on high alert. The kid hadn't just been left behind by some twist of fate, but left in reserve for later pickup. Not on his watch. Dean forced himself to sound calmer than he felt. "When is she coming for you?"

"Soon."

That was enough for Dean. He didn't need to hear anymore of that lifeless little voice. Carefully, he picked up the boy's left hand, frowning when there wasn't even a hint of resistance. "Hold this for me." He dropped the iron ball into the center of Johnny's palm.

The reaction was instantaneous. Johnny Miller's fist closed on the small ball of iron, his eyes widening momentarily before they squeezed shut tightly. The boy's small body bent double as he gasped for air.

Dean fell to his knees in the ground, helping Johnny down from the swing. Slowly, Johnny seemed to become more aware. The little boy looked up at him, brown eyes wide and scared, "Who are you?"

"It's OK, Johnny. My name is Dean, and I'm here to help you." He was his most honest when dealing with kids. They tended to spot bullshit. At least when they hadn't been mind whammied.

Johnny shook his head quickly. "I don't need your help! Frank does!" He grabbed Dean's shirt, small hands pulling insistently. "The cold lady took him! He said he wanted to go, but I don't think so." The tugging became more frantic as the story went on. Dean recognized that Johnny was just frantic and clutching at someone to listen to him. "You have to help him!"

Dean caught Johnny's thin shoulders and held him away a bit, bending to look the boy in the eye. "Hey. I promise." Dean could never deny a little kid. Especially not with a scrunched up face and snot dribbling from his nose. It reminded him too much of Sammy. "In your hand is a special charm. Can you feel it?" The one small thing he could be thankful for was that at this age magic and charms were something a kid could believe in.

Sniffling, the boy carefully opened his hand. Sure enough, the bullet was still there. He looked back at Dean, face screwed up in confusion.

"I know it doesn't look like much, but it can keep the cold lady from making you want to go with her too." Dean hoped he wasn't lying. "Do you remember wanting to go with her?"

Nodding slowly, Johnny wiped his nose again. "More than anything."

Dean closed the boy's fingers around the bullet. "You keep this with you at all times for now. In your pocket should be OK. Just don't lose it." He nodded in approval when Johnny immediately slipped the bullet into his pocket. "You probably shouldn't let your mom see it either. They don't tend to believe in important stuff like magic charms."

Johnny froze, his eyes overflowing again with tears. "Mom!" He shook with new sobs. "I said bad things- she's gonna be so mad!"

"Hey now." Dean ruffled Johnny's hair. "It will be OK. You've got the charm now. Your mom's gonna be so happy the cold lady doesn't have you- she won't care what you said."

"Really?" The boy's voice rose in hope as he wiped his face with his sleeve.

Dean was pretty sure that Alicia wouldn't be asking too many questions now that her boy was back. "Really." Standing, Dean helped the boy onto his feet. Hesitating only a moment, he scooped Johnny up into his arms and carried him to the house. Cas joined them on the way, silently watching his back.

They slipped through the back door into the kitchen and Dean paused a moment to listen for voices. He could hear Sam's voice coming from the living room joined by Alicia's hushed voice. Before Dean could cross the room, Johnny perked up at the sound of his mother's voice. "Mommy?"

There was a crash of breaking glass in the living room before a frantic Alicia Miller burst through the door at a run. "Baby!"

Dean quickly let the boy down onto the tile floor and smiled as the pair met in a fierce hug. This was one they'd been able to save and it made him feel warm with satisfaction, He could feel Cas's presence beside him and he turned to share a smile with his angel. This was what it was all about, helping innocent people. He nodded to Sam when his brother came to join them in the kitchen. So far so good.

They let mother and son take all the time they needed to reassure each other that everything was OK. Eventually Alicia looked up. "I don't know how you-" She shook her head. "Thank you."

Dean just shook his head. "No thanks are necessary. We are just happy he's fine." Sam cleared his throat and Dean's smile turned to a thoughtful frown. "Is there any place you can stay tonight? There is a chance they might be coming here for Johnny."

"Coming here?" Alicia clutched her son closer. "Yes... my parents' home."

"How far away are they? Perhaps the further the better." Sam looked from the pair to the clock and then to Dean. Yeah, Dean got the point. Time was passing quickly. Maybe a long reunion hadn't been the best idea.

"Out of state." She began looking at them in quick succession and Dean could see she was growing concerned.

"We are going to wait here for them to show." Dean tried to sound more confident than he really felt about this. "If they show tonight we'll catch them."

Alicia was already back on her feet, Johnny slung over her hip. "We can be on the road in ten minutes." She was up the stairs before they could reply.

The moment she was out of earshot they began to plan. "The kid said they'd be coming for him soon." Dean frowned and surveyed the small house. It was really not the kind of place he'd choose for any showdown. "How long has it been since Frank was taken?"

Sam consulted the notebook. "Two, almost three days." He tapped his finger against the paper. "Do you think..." No one wanted to suggest they may have almost been too late.

"Three is a powerful number." Cas agreed. "As is seven."

"Shit." Dean took a deep steadying breath. There was no way to be sure, but Johnny may have been the intended seventh victim. And his three days were almost up. Dean was too paranoid to not assume a failure to save him would have been disastrous.

Pounding footsteps distracted him from that dark possibility. He looked up and saw Alicia. Pale faced and breathing heavily, her eyes burned with a determination he recognized easily. No one was laying a hand on her son.

Dean nodded approvingly at the small travel bag slung over her shoulder. "You should get going."

"You should take care on the roads." Cas laid a hand on Alicia's shoulder for a moment, and then stepped back. But if he did any mojo, Alicia didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you." She looked at all three of them in quick succession before hurrying out the door and into her car. Johnny peered sleepily over her shoulder and gave a thumbs up to Dean as the door closed behind them.

Dean returned the gesture until they were out of sight. "So when exactly is the three days up?"

"Tomorrow morning at 8:00." Sam frowned and looked at the clock. Not enough time. "They were on their way to school, but it's no guarantee they won't come earlier."

It just kept getting better and better.

Cas moved to the fireplace and grabbed the poker, shifting it in his hand until the balance was right. "We have very little time."

And now they were getting to the part Dean was good at. The part where they ganked monsters. Or at least ruined their day. "Right." He looked out the kitchen window and studied the yard. Like most places in suburbia, it was almost completely devoid of cover to say the least. It looked like their battleground was going to be just about the worst possible location for an ambush. Goody.

"Here's what we do." Dean turned from the window, plans already forming in his mind. "When the dicks show up, I'll create a distraction. Cas, you and Sam zap in once I have everyone's attention. You guys some in close to the 'cold lady' and get the drop on her. Soften her up for some negotiation with iron and fire." Even though he was laying out the plan with authority, there were still a lot of variables that he could not control and he knew it. What he did know was that this 'cold lady' Johnny described was their target.

Of course, Sam was protesting almost before he finished talking. "We're not going to let you go up against these things by yourself!" His brother's voice rose as he talked, obviously growing more irritated by the second. Any hope he had for support from his angel died when he saw Cas was nodding in agreement.

They didn't have time for this. Dean turned and moved to the door, pausing to glance back at them. "Look at it this way, I may be distracting the troops, but you two are going to head right for the leader." Dean hesitated, his hand on the doorknob. "I'm not happy about it either, but we have to get something on them to force them to return the people who'd been taken. Can you think of something better that can be arranged in the next few hours?"

He was answered with silence and while it was awkward, damn it he didn't know what else they could do with what they had and the time they had.

"Then let's get to work."

**

There was silence on the line. That was never a good sign. Dean shifted in place, not even needing to hear the words because he knew it was stupid and he knew he was in for it. And no one made him feel like a little boy in trouble more than bobby. Not even his father brought out that kind of guilt. So when he heard, "You boys are idjits." He was relieved.

Because, well, that wasn't so bad as he'd expected. Dean looked at their assembled armory and felt pretty good overall. They had iron buckshot shells for the shotgun, Cas and Sam had raided the area and came up with an iron fireplace poker and crowbar respectively. Cas wielded a mean poker. Dean thought it had something to do with the angelic _thing_ for swords.

"So you got a few shotgun shells and two blunt instruments, and you're going to take on an unknown number of fairies in a shitty location?"

"We have a flamethrower too." Dean felt it important to mention.

"Well good! Are you gonna use the flamethrower to toast the leader on sight?"

"No."

"Then I ain't gonna count it as an asset! Shit boy, most likely by the time you realize just how much you need that fire, you'll be so busy getting your asses kicked you won't be able to use it!" Bobby was in rare form, and the last time he'd heard an argument like that, it had been directed at John. Dean did not like the implications.

And really, this negativity was just getting frustrating. He heard enough of this from Sam. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. Not that he'd expected a pat on the head, but constructive criticism would be more appreciated. "So how do you suggest we get the other people back, Bobby? I'm fresh out of ideas."

There was another long silence on the phone before he heard Bobby exhale. "Good luck, boys." Bobby didn't know either. And he wouldn't suggest just giving up on a rescue. Because it wasn't in Bobby to just give up on people, just like it wasn't in Dean to just give up. Even when maybe they should.

"Thanks Bobby." Dean looked out over the yard to where the sun was setting. The bright orange sky looked beautiful, and he wondered if it would be their last. But then again, any sunset could be their last, and most likely the one that was their last- they weren't going to even note at all. So he was going to stop with this mopey bullshit and get to what he did best. Helpin' people and killin' evil sons of bitches. Well, except maybe no killing tonight. "I'll call you when we get them back."

"You'd better!" Without any other goodbye, Bobby hung up.

Dean snapped the phone shut, pressed his knuckles to his lips and took a steadying breath. He turned to face Sam and Cas's scrutiny. "Bobby says it should be a cake walk."

Other men, weaker men may have cowered under the 'bitch please' looks he received in stereo. But Dean was no ordinary man. "Bobby may have said that we're being idjits for not burning every last one of them the minute they show their faces. And we're supposed to call him when we're done."

Sam just rolled his eyes, sharing a look with Cas that Dean did not appreciate. "So, what you are telling me is that Bobby said we're crazy to be doing this and he thinks we're dead meat."

Dean crossed the room to their meager weapon stash and picked up the shotgun, testing the weight of it in his hands. It wasn't one he normally used, but he'd wanted the highest range possible for this. No need to get up close and personal if he didn't have to. Dean slung the shotgun over his shoulder and looked out the window at the slowly darkening sky.

Sometimes Sam was too perceptive. "Basically, yeah."

It was time to get into position. "Now Cas," Dean left the window and clapped a hand on the angel's shoulder, looking him square in the eye. "Remember to be gentle with Sam. It's his first time."

This was one of the times Cas didn't quite catch the implication, simply nodding solemnly. "Of course." And it wasn't worth explaining since it wasn't very funny in the first place. Dean turned and looked out the same window Sam and Cas were watching.

The shadows in the yard were deeper now. The sun was down and there was no more time to waste.

"All right! Time to get this show on the road." Dean stepped away from his brother and his angel for one last once over. He definitely felt like they needed some rallying talk or something, but he had nothing.

Sam hefted his crowbar even while shaking his head. "This is such a bad idea." But just because it was a bad idea didn't mean they weren't going to do it.

"You know what you're supposed to do?"

Signing, Sam rolled his eyes. "Hold position a mile away and wait for the signal." His little brother had a talent for making his feelings known just through tone. "Then we 'zap' into the yard and take the leader hostage." Sam did not think highly of the plan.

"And what's the signal?"

"Gunshots!" Sam at this point was moving beyond his normal state of recalcitrant pissy and into actually being upset, so Dean gave it a rest. Even if the correct answer was 'three gunshots'. Cas would remember and execute Operation Tinkerbelle Whack flawlessly.

"They could show up anytime now." Dean really did not want anything to start now. He was too freaking tired. "Be careful."

Cas stepped forward before Sam's rising irritation could escalate further. Dean would have thanked God for the angel if he were the type. The last thing they needed now was an actual argument. The angel nodded slightly to him, and Dean felt sure that Cas knew just how he felt. "Be sure to heed your own advice. Be careful. Remain vigilant." And they were gone before he could reply. Sometimes Dean wondered if that was Cas's favorite power- the power to have the last word whenever he wanted.

Dean stepped out into the yard and pushed down that feeling of anxiety that rolled in his stomach. The feeling that told him this was going to go badly. He shuffled into the space between the house and an overgrown hedge. It was a shitty hiding spot, but it would have to do. Dean settled in to wait.

And he waited.

It was getting ridiculous. Dean shifted carefully, his knees protesting. The last time he had to wait this long for a non-human to arrive to the party was when he and Bobby summoned Castiel and then had to wait for the angel to show up.

And that turned out well. So that was a good sign.

Dean scratched thoughtfully at his chin. Now that he thought of it, none of the carefully prepared wards and traps had worked. Cas had strolled in, exploding light bulbs and ignoring the layers of mojo blocks that had lined the walls and floor of the old building. He and Bobby had shot Cas from nearly point blank range and he had stabbed Cas directly in the heart. Dean grinned at the memory because it was safe to smile at it now that he wasn't nearly pissing himself.

So maybe this was a bad sign after all.

Good or bad sign it didn't matter now. As Dean watched from his barely concealed position a mist was slowly seeping into the yard. He nearly rolled his eyes with the cliché, but whatever evil was not really known for its creativity. The mist grew thicker and he felt a distinct chill in the air now that was not natural.

Finally just when he was wondering if they were ever going to get the show on the road he saw the figure on the horse. It was a female form- one he was not going to study for long enough to decide if she qualified as 'cold' or not. She was the only form on a freaking horse, so it had to make her something. More and more figures were stepping out of the mist and Dean's hand tightened on the shotgun. It was time to work.

Dean shot to the right of the gathering before breaking cover to the left. He wanted to cause panic or confusion, not kill any of the fairies if they even could be killed. His job was to cause as much chaos as possible to give Cas and Sam a leg up in their surprise. He grinned as he sprinted; Dean prided himself on his ability to wreak mayhem.

Not really bothering to aim, Dean shot to the center of the group this time. He wasn't slowing even as he reloaded, but it didn't matter how fast he was running as a fairy stepped out from nowhere directly into his path. There wasn't time to think and the next moment the shotgun was knocked from his hands. Only blind luck that caused the shotgun to go off when it hit the ground.

It was an even larger stroke of luck that it managed o not injure Dean when it went off. All Dean needed at this moment was to have shot himself in the foot. Sammy would never let him live that down.

Signal sent, Dean could focus on keeping alive for the time it took for Cas and Sam to get control of the situation. Faced with a growing horde of chittering fairies surrounding him now on all sides, Dean had to admit it might not be as easy as he'd hoped.

_Heartbeat_.

They kept to a distance of about five feet, penning him in completely with none of them close enough to be taken by surprise. Dean strained to hear the tell-tale sound of wing beats that he associated with Cas, but all he could hear was the high pitched sound that must be their language. He doesn't need to understand it to know that they sound pissed. Dean grins and fights the urge to tell them their voices are annoying, but they have nothing on an angel's true voice.

_Heartbeat_.

These fuckers were tall. Dean was not a short man, but the fairies around him all seemed to be at least as tall as Sam. They were as tall as Sam, but they seemed to have only half the body mass because they were thin to the point of being contestants on America's Top Model. And now that they were closer, he could also see they were armed. So they had reach, weapons, and as the chattering died down he had the feeling they'd come to a consensus on what to do with the interloper. No sweat. Dean rolled his shoulders in preparation. He had backup. Any time now.

_Heartbeat_.

One of the figures stepped forward. 'Showtime.' Dean thought and shifted his weight to be ready for a fight. Not that he had a chance.

On even closer inspection, Dean wasn't sure if he should be disappointed or relieved. The changeling had looked like lampreys in the mirror, but human to the eye. The succubus had also looked pretty nasty when you saw its reflexion. Dean had expected the fairies from classic stories, bewitchingly beautiful. Or at least normal. But it wasn't.

It had features sharp and fine, like a well carved statue. But it was as if the sculptor couldn't decide on making a man or a woman. So while the features were fine, they were too androgynous to be really attractive either way. The eyes of uniform silver did not make it appear any more human than the hair so red it looked like fresh arterial blood. Dean tried to forget that last comparison the moment it came to mind.

_Heartbeat_

The fairy was still well out of reach when it stopped and Dean held back his irrational disappointment that this was apparently not one of those up in your face villains. Those ones often made mistakes.

"_You_ dare attack _us_, mortal?"

Any sense of fear or awe that Dean felt for these creatures was killed by the squeaky childlike voice. More proof that to be menacing you really did need a lower voice. It was why James Earl Jones dubbed Vader's voice. The fairy's face twisted in anger and Dean remembered that he'd been asked a question.

He opened his mouth, smartass reply on the tip of his tongue, when the fairies all around him hissed suddenly, turning almost simultaneously to look at something over Dean's left shoulder. That would be the cavalry.

"Freeze, assholes." Turning, Dean couldn't keep the grin off his face. It didn't sound exactly right coming from the angel, but Cas delivered it with authority, so Dean gave him an A for effort.

Sam must have pulled the fairy woman from the horse, as he stood behind her, the crowbar held firmly against her neck. Even from where he stood, Dean could see the red blistering skin under the metal. It looked like one hell of a burn. He could also see her expression was not like the anger of the fairies around him. She was amused. And Dean felt his stomach roll. Anger or fear he could deal with. Amusement usually meant that someone knew something he didn't.

Dean pushed his way through the chittering horde. None gave him any trouble, so it seemed they were at least right in taking the female hostage, even if his spidey sense was screaming that this was not going well, no matter how it may look.

He stopped to stand next to Cas. It was easy for Dean to see in the way the angel stood, shoulders tense and straight, that Cas was worried as well. But no one else would be able to tell. To anyone who didn't know Cas, he was just your every day angel brandishing a fire poker like he meant business.

Finally face to face with the fairy woman, it was clear how Frankie came up with 'cold lady' as a description. Her hair was not red like the others; she had white hair that hung long and straight. She stared back at him with eyes that were a light frosty blue. What really creeped him out was that they had no pupil at all. Even her skin was so pale that it had blue undertones. If she closed her freaky eyes, Dean might have mistaken her for someone who'd died of hypothermia.

But her eyes were not closed. They were studying him with a level of interest that he was seriously uncomfortable with. Dean shifted his attention to Sam for a moment, but his brother just shrugged.

"I know what you want, Winchesters." She spoke slowly with an odd clipped tone. Dean realized with a bit of hysteria that it must be the fairy 'accent' since the one that spoke before sounded the same. From this distance he could see the fairy's teeth as she spoke in that childlike voice, and they were no child's teeth. They were much smaller than a human's, short and thin and pointed like a mouth full of tiny needles. She smiled just then, as if she knew what he'd just noticed, and Dean frowned. Fairies were not living up to their PR.

Raising an eyebrow, Dean exchanged glances with Sam. "Well then," he paused fully prepared to brazen through like usual, "it seems our reputation precedes us with the creepy evil chick demographic." That was a bit worrying since up until a few days ago he hadn't even believed fairies were real, and he didn't like to be known to things that he didn't know about in turn.

But the fairies had apparently known the Winchester name at least. And that was one more thing to be concerned about. "So what do we want?"

"Too many things to mention." She smirked, showing off those disturbing teeth again. "You want so many things; you don't even realize you want half of them." Her lips twitched again. "Right now you want me to stop smiling so much because my teeth frighten you."

Damn it. Dean really hated things that read minds and desires like that. They were always so skeezy. From djin to succubi, they all sucked. They always screwed you over worse than any other monster.

"What you should want is to know how you can see through our glamour to our true forms. Your brother, for all his power, cannot." And here was why she was so smug. She thought dangling a little tidbit like that would distract him.

"Nah." Dean had her number now. He flashed a quick smile. "Don't care about that, cuz while it might freak you out that I can see through your hocus-pocus, I like it just fine." Dean crouched to face her, and if he wasn't wrong, he could now smell her skin burning where Sam still pressed the iron. "Maybe Sam sees what you want him to see now, but I bet when I show him your _insides_ he'll see that just fine." He didn't have to look up to know that Sam was already rolling this around in his head, and that questions would be forthcoming. But for now, while Sammy was giving him a clear WTF look, he was keeping his mouth shut.

The crowd behind him chittered loudly at the threat, but Dean didn't budge. Cas had his back, and that was enough for him to hold his position and stare down the fairy woman.

"I bet, that on the inside, you look like all the other monster we've killed. Squishy, gross and stinky." Dean wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, I bet you're real stinky on the inside."

Gone was mild amusement, the fairy lunged, hissing at him. He pulled back out of her reach in time to hear the snapping of her teeth as her jaw closed on nothing. The sound of the crowd behind them was lost in her shrieks of pain as Sam reined her in with the crowbar across her neck.

They needed to remain focused. Again, Dean crouched in front of the fairy, smirking his best irritating smirk. "You ready to talk seriously?" He glanced up and was reassured that Sam still had a secure grip on the crowbar and so, the situation still under control. She wasn't moving until they said so. "We could be here all night. I've got nothing else planed." He took a god long look at the blistering skin on her neck and then looked back at hr face. "But I think you might want to start getting serious soon. I don't know what prolonged exposure to iron would do to you. Might eventually burn right trough your neck." He did not want to see that. "Might be interesting experiment." It would haunt his nightmares- even if she was a monster. "All in the interest of science, you know." But he'd do it if he had to. And if she were reading his mind, she knew he would.

"What do you want?" Her eyes narrowed with hate, her voice practically dripping venom. It amused him until he considered the possibility that might be a real concern. Who knows what weird things fairies could do. They might have dangerous spit like those dinosaurs from Jurassic Park. Dean stood and hoped it was out of loogie range. He would not put it past fairies to leave bodily fluids everywhere.

Standing now, Dean looked down at where she sat on the ground. "Me? I want those people you snatched."

Something eased in her posture. Dean couldn't exactly place it, but her desperation was gone. He'd had her on the ropes and scared about _something_, but it wasn't this. And it brought back all those 'oh shit' feelings he'd tried to ignore. "No." She delivered the response with a clear and level voice, quickly regaining her composure.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, what? I could have sworn I heard you say 'no'." He heard the sizzle of her flesh as Sam pulled back on the crowbar to emphasize the point. He looked up to see Sam's expression caught between disgust and determination.

She laughed in between her cries of pain until Sam backed off with the crowbar and she just laughed. "The tithe is worth more than my existence!" She gasped finally. "You'll never get them back. Not for free."

"Not for free?" He scowled at that. Whatever the fee was, it was surely not something he would want to pay.

"A trade." Her eyes focused beyond him. She focused on Cas. "The angel for the humans." She turned to him again. "Six for one."

Oh hell no.

"Deal."

Dean nearly jumped out of his skin to hear Cas's voice so close suddenly. So close and saying crazy things.

"No!" Dean glared at Cas and wondered if his angel had been hanging around him too long. He was already making self-sacrificing deals. "No deal."

"Dean." Cas shook his head. "It's the only way." And Dean remembered the impossibility of dragging the people from the fairy land.

"Accepted." The bitch smiled obscenely, tongue flicking over her teeth in a not too subtle taunt. Dean wanted to smash her face in with Sam's crowbar. "Come with us and those taken will be returned safe and snug to their beds."

"No." Dean had a brief moment of hope that maybe Cas had come to his senses. There had to be another way to save the stolen people. A way that didn't involve handing Cas over to these things. "Bring them here. When we see them alive and unharmed I will go with you."

Her eyes narrowed. "So be it."

Dean felt more useless than usual as he stood there at a loss for how to save the situation. His mind was stuck on an endless loop of 'get Cas away from her!' But before he could form any idea on how to do that, the unnatural mist rolled in again, this time it wasn't fairies who stepped out, but the missing people- all obviously mind whammied.

Turning to Cas, Dean still had an irrational hope that this was where the angel pulled out some of that reenergized angel mojo, kicked some fairy ass, and they all go back to the motel room and laughed about it. But Cas was looking at him with an expression that was distinctly guilty. It was happening way too fast- he just needed a moment to think…

"And now we conclude the deal." The fairy pushed the crowbar away from her neck. Sam seemed just as stunned as Dean, and let the iron fall away from his hostage. Dean nearly vibrated with the desire to do something- anything, but what?

She stood and walked slowly to Cas's side, where she towered over him. When she placed a hand on the angel's shoulder, Dean felt rage like he'd rarely felt before rise within him. The hand was immediately shrugged off, and she did not try again but the message was sent loud and clear. 'Mine now.' Dean was not going to rest until she was dead.

"See how he just stands by, angel? How willingly he will sacrifice you for the humans he doesn't even know?"

"Cas!" That was utter bullshit! Dean wouldn't sacrifice Cas like that- like he wasn't important. He wanted to say that- wanted to do something so that this did not happen.

"Dean." Cas called his name and Dean nearly jumped out of his skin. But he relaxed a bit when he saw the look on Cas's face. That was clearly his sneaky expression. Dean saw it once before- when the angel gave him the clues (Or completely spelled it out, really) on how to use Chuck to save Sam from Lilith's fiery demonic passion.

"Yeah?" He managed to croak.

"Oh! You're going to have a touching last words moment? This I must witness."

"Stuff a sock in it, Tinkerbelle." Dean focused on Cas and felt thankful that he may not have gotten the funniest angel (or so he said) or the brightest angel (as evidenced by this boneheaded deal), but he must have gotten the sneakiest angel. And so he was not giving up on Cas. He must have a plan.

"Tell Janet what happened."

Dean blinked. "Janet?" What the hell? He was getting a 'Dear Janet' message? Who the fuck was Janet?

"We met her at her father's hall. She wore the green skirt and her yellow hair in a braid." Cas's gaze darted a moment to the fairy, but she was only watching them with amusement.

Dean calmed himself with some effort, because he was damn sure they'd never met anyone fitting that description with Cas in tow. And the wording was far too specific to be anything but instructions. "Fine. We'll tell Janet."

Cas nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Tell her I'm a tithe to hell."

No sooner did the words pass his lips than they were gone. Not even the sound of beating wings marked Cas's disappearance. Just gone. And he and Sam were left with a group of blinking staring mouth breathers.

"Dean, those were clues." Sam was already gathering their few things. "Deal with these people. I'm going to find out what he was trying to tell us."

"Yeah, I got that." Dean wanted in on the research for once though. He had to get Cas back. "But-"

"Dean, these people need to be taken care of, and you can do that without me. And I am the faster researcher." Not better, just faster. And it meant a lot that Sam put it that way. Even if this were the one time he wished he were the geekboy. Dean nodded stiffly. "You get out of here. Call me when you get anything. Got it?"

"I got it."

Dean turned to face the group of blank faces as Sam slipped away to the Impala. At least this would keep him busy until Sam could get him some answers.

**

My apologies on how long this chapter took to make it from my notebooks to here! I've just recently moved back to the US and now I am searching for a job, so my creative moments have been dedicated to searching out possible jobs and then applying. Nothing as of yet, but hopefully I will be able to settle down and get back into a regular writing schedule.

As always, Comments & Criticism would be awesome!


	6. Chapter 6

An hour later Dean was a mess, his emotions alternating between panic and exhaustion. He wasn't even sure what bullshit story he'd fed to the victims. At this point he didn't even care. He just focused on getting back to the hotel room and figuring out a way to rescue Cas.

Sam still hadn't called, and that did not make him feel good in the slightest. He'd been counting on Sam's gigantic brain figuring out the clues before he could get back to the hotel. If Sam hadn't gotten something by now…

Clenching his jaw, Dean refused to think about it. Right now he didn't need to think about anything but the double yellow line and the sound of his baby. Cas needed him to not freak out. Cas needed him to be calm and get back to the hotel in one piece so Dean could help Sam come up with a plan to rescue Cas so he could fucking _KILL_ the angel when he got his hands on him.

His cell phone suddenly coming to life in his pocket did not make him jump. Not at all. But he did quickly grab it and answer, "What do you have?"

There was a slight pause, as if Sam were tempted to reply snarkily, but this was not the time and for once his brother didn't push. "I think I've found what Cas was trying to tell us."

"Ok." That was good news. Dean relaxed his white knuckle grip on the steering wheel. "And that message would be?"

"Well," Sam hesitated, "It could be a few things. For one, the fae we questioned mentioned a tithe."

"Yeah, and Cas said he'd be a tithe to hell."

"Yes! The tithe, Janet, yellow hair, her father's hall, they're all key pieces of an 18th century ballad, Tam Lin."

"You mean Cas sent us an encoded message in a song request?" Dean could hear his own voice rising with disbelief. "I'm a fan of the oldies, but that is fuckin' special!"

"Look, it's more like a poem, for one." Sam's voice was steadily growing irritated. "I think it can actually help us, Dean. So get yourself back to the room." He paused. "And pick me up some food. I'll have more information by the time you get back." Sam hung up before Dean could protest.

"Bitch." Dean slipped the phone back into his front pocket as he put a bit more pressure on the gas. He'd seen a Wendy's by the hotel, and Sam would just have to deal with a heart-stoppingly greasy burger.

"All right, spill." Dean stalked into the room and tossed the sack of food at Sam.

Sam caught the Wendy's bag, his reflexes fast enough to keep him from catching the bag with his face. "Dude!" He sighed and turned his laptop to sow Dean the screen.

It looked like old paper. On the screen was an image of old, yellowed paper with spindly writing that he could barely make out as English. Dean raided an eyebrow, "I'll bite. What am I looking at?"

"This is the Ballad of Tam Lin." Sam turned the computer again, and Dean did not protest. "Basically, the story is about a man who has been taken by the Fae and will be given to the devil as a tithe, or a payment."

"A payment for what?" Dean grabbed a chair and straddled the seat, his arms resting on the seatback.

Sam shook his head, "Could be any number of things; power, protection. Hell," Sam ran a hand through his hair, "it could just be a 'you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone' peace offering."

That did not sound good in any way and Dean's hands clenched. "Tell me the good news, Sammy." There had to be good news. There had to be something they could do to save Cas, or his angel never would have given them these clues.

Sam was quiet for a moment, and Dean felt his stomach twist again. "There is something. A test." Sam's voice was gentle and that more than anything else told Dean that this was a big test, and it didn't have a high possibility of working.

"A test."

Sam's face twitched in the way it did when he was trying to make a tough decision. Usually that face was the one he had when trying to decide if they should tell someone the 'truth' about a situation or if they should make up a pacifying lie.

Dean brought his fist down hard onto the table top, rocking the laptop. "Just tell me, Sammy, what kind of test?" He was fed up with hints and clues and vague answers for the night. He needed a clear course of action before he went and did something really stupid.

"It's a test of strength, Dean." Sam sat forward in his chair. "A test of strength, courage, and resolve. You have to grab onto Cas and literally not let go until the test is over. Can you do that, Dean?" Dean wondered if Sam had ever watched him this intently before, because his little brother was looking at him like everything in the world rode on his answer. Maybe it did.

"Yes." Dean had no doubt at this moment that there was not test he couldn't pass if it meant saving Cas from those fairy fucks. "You're saying all I gotta do is hold on?" He took a deep breath, somehow this felt monumental. Like this test Sammy was going on about started now. It started here. "Well, I never let go of anything once I've decided to hold on."

His brother was quiet for a moment before he nodded slowly, "I know, Dean." Sam's voice was soft, like he knew that Dean had made up his mind.

Clearing his throat, Dean fished his burger out of the untouched Wendy's bag. Now he felt like maybe some food would stay in his stomach. "So, uh, can you tell me more about this test?" He took a bite of triple Whopper and ignored Sam's look of vague disgust.

"Well, Janet is the hero who saves Tam Lin from his fate." Sam began slowly as if summing the whole thing up was a difficult task.

"Ok, girl power, awesome." Dean gestured for Sam to keep going. "Let's cut to the chase. What is this test, and how do I pass.?" He was going to pass. He was committed to it.

Sam stifled a bitchface and went on. "You're going to have to pull him from a horse and hold onto him."

That could not be everything. Dean squinted skeptically at Sam, "That's it? That's the big test?"

"Then," Sam's voice rose over Dean's, "he will be transformed in your arms." Dean had to admit, that did sound a little more complicated. "First to some sort of reptile, the poem says adder. So I'd say some poisonous snake. Then a transformation to a larger animal," Sam tapped a few keys absently and Dean found it harder to swallow around his burger. "The poem mentions a bear and a lion specifically, but it could be any large predator. The poem is set in Scotland, so it doesn't seem to matter if the animals are native to the area or not."

"Animals, huh?" That would be tricky. Dean swallowed back his initial trepidation. He said he's do this and he would. They just needed to work out a plan of action.

"Not just animals!" Sam looked up from the laptop. "After the large predator Cas will be changed into a red hot iron and then into hot lead. At which point you must toss it into water and he will be changed back to his normal form." Sam grinned. "Then you cover his naked body with your green mantle."

"Burning hot iron and lead? You've got to be shitting me." This wasn't a test of courage; it was a test of masochism.

Sam closed the laptop with a snap. "Listen, there is a catch to all this. So long as you don't let go, you won't be harmed." Sam paused and looked away for a moment. "So it says."

That sounded unlikely. Dean put the burger back onto its wrapper. "I won't be harmed? So what is the test if I'm not getting poisoned and burned?"

"I don't know." Sam sighed and finally reached for his own dinner. "It could mean any number of things, Dean; ancient Ballads are not too specific when it comes to details."

"Yeah, no shit." Dean shook his head. There were still a lot of questions, but now he had a direction. "Wait a minute. What's a mantle?" Because they, no he, was apparently going to be covering a naked Cas with one in the future.

"Dean." Sam just gave him an incredulous look before looking over at the closet. Dean followed his gaze to see his army surplus jacket hanging on the doorknob. His green army surplus jacket.

"No way. Wouldn't a blanket be better?" The jacket was pretty small. Too small to cover a naked Cas, even if Cas wasn't the biggest guy in the world.

Sam shrugged and swallowed his bite. "Maybe, but do you want to risk it?"

Dean shook his head. "No, you're right." Dean finished his food quickly before pushing back from the table. "Look, find out all the nitpicky details about the test. I need a green jacket, not a green blanket. I throw him into water, does it have to be holy water, or will tap water do?"

"Well water, actually." Sam finished his burger and tossed the crumpled wrapper into the wastepaper basket across the room. "Look, Dean, there are a lot of thing we need to figure out, but first we should focus on just where you're going to find them. They're going to have a precession in three days, but we still don't know where."

Dean fell onto the bed he chose as his, boots on the standard scratchy comforter. "Well, if this thing is following the story so closely, where does Janet grab Tam Lin in the poem?"

"Miles Cross. But Dean, the chances that-"

"Sam, I think we actually drove through Miles Cross on the way here." Dean sat up, leaning on his arm. "I remember it because it was weird to see a Miles Road and a Miles Ave crossing like that." Dean fell back onto the bed. "Shit, a crossroad would be the prefect place to call a demon."

"Or the devil." Sam groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Where was it?"

"It was back by that old historical building. Carter Hall." Sam's sudden bark of laughter made Dean nearly jump out of his skin. "What?"

"Carter Hall? Why didn't I remember-" Sam opened the laptop again and shook his head. "Dean, the place Janet meets Tam Lin is at Carterhaugh."

The pronunciation was a bit different, but there was no denying the similarity. "Well shit." Dean rubbed at his eyes and tried to process all the information he'd been hit with since getting back to the hotel. "So the fairies are going to be at Miles Cross in three days. I have to grab Cas and hold on to him to pass a test. Then what?"

Sam shook his head. "In the story the faery queen can't do anything to Janet or Tam Lin because Janet passed the test."

That sounded promising. "So we'd be protected."

"Yeah, I mean, I guess so." Sam shrugged his massive shoulders. "Dean, this isn't a precise thing. But we have some time to make a plan."

"Yeah." Dean fished his cell phone from his pocket and called Bobby.

"You idjits done?" It didn't surprise him that the phone picked up after only one ring even this late at night.

"Hey Bobby." Dean tried to keep his voice light. "We got the hostages back from the fairies."

There was a heavy pause on the line. "What went wrong, boy?"

"It's Cas. He uhh, he traded himself for the hostages."

There was a muffled curse from Bobby's end. "That idjit is a Winchester, all right." There was another long pause. "So what are you two gonna do about it?" There was no question that something would be done.

"Well, before they snatched him, Cas was able to give us some clues to an old poem. Tam Lin-"

"Right. I'm on my way." The line went dead.

"Bobby?" Dean hung up his cell and tossed it onto the bedside table. "Well, it looks like Bobby is on his way." Dean rubbed at his eyes again.

Sam stood and stretched, his accompanying yawn infecting Dean. "We could probably use the help."

"Yeah, I guess." Dean toed off his boots and rested his arm on his forehead. He'd just rest his eyes a moment before he began making a plan to save Cas.

As far as Dean was concerned, Bobby had to have broken the land speed record or he'd already been halfway to Virginia when he'd called two nights ago. Because the older hunter was here and looking fresh enough to kick some fairy ass. "Bobby?" Dean gaped at the man at the door to their motel room.

"Well, are ya gonna let me in?" He didn't wait for Dean to step aside; he just wheeled himself through the door and left it to Dean to keep his feet from getting rolled over.

"Hey, Bobby." Sam put his gun back onto the table.

Deftly maneuvering the minefield of obstacles that littered the floor, Bobby pulled up to the table and slammed a heavy book next to the laptop. "All right, so what do you have planned?" He looked between Sam and Dean impatiently. "You _do_ have a plan, right?"

Dean bristled a bit at the implication that they might not have a plan yet. "Of course we got a plan! I'm gonna pass some fairy test and get Cas back." The moment word 'test' left his mouth Bobby's eyes got wide and he shot a look to Sam. "What?" Dean frowned and sat on the bed, arms resting on his knees. "You don't think I can pass? Sam seems to think I got a shot." Dean didn't like what that could mean if Bobby didn't think he could do it.

Sam cleared his throat quietly. "Bobby, I really think Dean can complete the test." It wasn't the emphatic support he'd been expecting, but Sam's quiet statement seemed to make Bobby pause in thought.

Bobby turned to Dean, looking tired suddenly. "I'm going to need coffee. Ya mind?"

"Nah, Bobby." All this inaction was getting to him anyway. "I'll be right back." Standing, Dean grabbed his keys and wallet. "You want anything, Sam?"

Sam shook his head, already seeming to focus on the book Bobby had dropped on the table. Dean quickly hightailed it before they could get into the heavy discussion that appeared to be on the way

When Dean returned with enough coffee and doughnuts to satisfy a police station, Bobby and Sam were bent over the table with Bobby's book spread open between them. They both looked up at him as he slipped into the room; whatever conversation they'd been having dried up the moment the door opened. Dean stood there; his eyebrow rose at the unusual welcome, but shrugged it off. "Ok, awkward." He dropped the box of doughnuts on the table and passed out the coffee which both Bobby and Sam grabbed eagerly.

"So your brother convinced me that you trying the test isn't flat out suicide," Bobby didn't mince words. "We think we got it all worked out too."

"Fantastic." Dean slumped in his chair, Styrofoam cup in his hand. "Let's hear it then." He was relieved as hell to hear that Bobby'd come around on the whole test idea. He would have tried it anyway, but that the older hunter agreed he could do it gave him more confidence. Dean took a sip of the hot coffee and tried to calm his nerves; the last thing he wanted was for Bobby or Sam to notice his hands were actually shaking. He considered taking a doughnut, but he hadn't eaten yet today, and he didn't think he'd be able to until after they got Cas back tonight.

"Well, the well water is no problem, a lot of houses here are on wells, including Mrs. Miller's house. We can get that set up pretty early." Dean nodded along; so far it did seem straightforward. "After that, it gets a little tricky." Bobby frowned and exchanged a look with Sam. "We're going to need to split up."

While it was obvious Bobby and Sam expected Dean to object, he wasn't going to doubt them. "Ok, tell me why." It was worth agreeing, just to see Sam's double take. Dean held back a grin and reminded himself to randomly agree with Sam, it seemed to really throw him off.

"Well," Bobby barely missed a beat, "You'd be protected from the fae because you're going through the trials. We don't know if anyone with you would also be safe, or if they'd be considered fair game."

"Good thinking." It would certainly suck if he saved Cas just to lose Sam and Bobby to the little fuckers. "So what are you and Sam going to be doing" Because he knew there'd be something.

"Looking for their door." Sam answered quickly, pushing a book at Dean. "We think they must have a way into this world, most likely some faery mound. We need to destroy it right after you've completed your test."

"It won't keep 'em out forever. But it'll make it much harder for them to come back anytime soon." Bobby tapped on a picture in the book. To Dean it just looked like a small hill with a lot of mushrooms.

"All right, so what do we do first?" It was getting time to be doing things and not talking about them. Dean knew he was getting more and more restless as time wore on; even he could see his leg bouncing in place was a sign of nervous energy.

"Well, first I am going to find and fill a tub full of well water. I'll even leave it at Miles Cross." Bobby was already wheeling his way across the room. "You and your brother are going to search every inch of that forest until you find me a faery mound."

Dean hauled himself to his feet, grateful to finally be doing something. "All right, sounds like a plan. I save Cas and give you guys a call to salt and burn the mound. Or whatever you'll need to do."

Sam was already throwing their things in the duffel bag; there wasn't even a discussion about it, they would finish this and leave the town in the dust tonight. He gave the room a quick once over before nabbing a doughnut. "We've got a few hours of light left before it is too dark to search the forest."

Dean was already on his way to the door, his body thrumming with excitement. "All right, let's go kick some fairy ass."

A/N Some people have asked me why Dean says fairy while Bobby and Sam say faery. (Yes they are both pronounced the same.) To me, it boils down to respect and Dean is an irreverent SOB. So he's sticking it to them even in his head. Even if it doesn't make any difference to anyone but him.

Comments & Criticism would be awesome! =D


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